SB2125 • 2026

RELATING TO TEACHER LICENSING.

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: DECOITE, HASHIMOTO, Wakai
Last action: 2026-05-08
Official status: Enrolled to Governor.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO TEACHER LICENSING.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO TEACHER LICENSING.
DOE; Charter Schools; Teacher Licensing; Emergency Hires; Exemptions; Licensure Progress Allows the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years.
Requires that unlicensed teachers hired on an emergency basis make continuous and verifiable progress toward satisfying licensing requirements.
Sunsets on 6/30/2031, but provides that unlicensed emergency hires employed before the sunset date may continue employment for up to five years from their hiring date, under certain conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: SB2125 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2125 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2125 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2125 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2125 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2125 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2125 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2125 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2125 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2125 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2125 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2125 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHER LICENSING .

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Garcia, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Belatti, Garrett, Iwamoto, Perruso voting no (4) and Representative(s) Alcos excused (1).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 208-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-05-01 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 208-26).
2026-05-01 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, Lee, M., La Chica, Olds, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama.
2026-05-01 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCorte.
2026-05-01 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 4:00PM in conference room 229.
2026-04-30 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.
2026-04-29 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 874).
2026-04-29 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-30-26 1:34PM; Conference Room 229.
2026-04-28 H
House Conferees Appointed: Woodson, Sayama, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; La Chica, Olds, Muraoka.
2026-04-20 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714).
2026-04-20 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Hashimoto, DeCorte.
2026-04-16 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
2026-04-16 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-16 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 627).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Matsumoto, Poepoe voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garrett, Iwamoto, Muraoka, Perruso voting no (5) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-10 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2107-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-08 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Perruso, Alcos; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey.
2026-04-07 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 04-08-26 1:57PM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-04-07 H
The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-08-26.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-30 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1463-26), recommending referral to FIN.
2026-03-24 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kong; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-03-20 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1289-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.
2026-03-19 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Muraoka; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 03-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to EDN, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 15
2026-03-05 H
Pass First Reading
2026-02-25 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 15) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-02-25 S
Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Kidani). Transmitted to House.
2026-02-23 S
48 Hrs. Notice 02-25-26.
2026-02-23 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-02-23 S
Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2705) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-05 S
Re-Referred to EDU.
2026-02-04 S
The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-22 S
Referred to EDU, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO TEACHER LICENSING.
DOE; Charter Schools; Teacher Licensing; Emergency Hires; Exemptions; Licensure Progress
Allows the Department of Education and charter schools to hire unlicensed individuals as teachers on an emergency basis for five, rather than three, years. Requires that unlicensed teachers hired on an emergency basis make continuous and verifiable progress toward satisfying licensing requirements. Sunsets on 6/30/2031, but provides that unlicensed emergency hires employed before the sunset date may continue employment for up to five years from their hiring date, under certain conditions. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2125

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2125

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to teacher licensing
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 302A-804, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

����
"(b)
�

The department's powers and duties under this subpart shall be limited
to:

����
(1)
�
Hiring, except in emergency situations
as described in this chapter, licensed teachers to teach in their fields of
licensing;

����
(2)
�
Reporting data annually to the board
about the supply of, and demand for, teachers in department schools, including
the identification of shortage areas, out‑of-field teaching assignments,
number of classrooms without a licensed teacher for a quarter or more, numbers
of teachers teaching out-of-field, numbers and types of courses and classes
taught by out-of-field teachers, and numbers and types of students taught by
out-of-field teachers;

����
(3)
�
On an emergency and case-by-case basis,
hiring unlicensed individuals; provided that:

���������
(A)
�
A list of the names, work sites,
teaching assignments, and progress toward licensing of these individuals shall
be reported to the board and any changes shall be updated on a monthly basis by
the department;

���������
(B)
�
There are no properly licensed teachers
for the specific assignments for which the individuals are being hired; and

���������
(C)
�
[
No individual may be employed by
the department on an emergency basis for more than three years; provided that
in the case of a declaration of a state of emergency pursuant to section
127A-14, the board, pursuant to its powers in section 302A-803(a)(18), may
extend the three-year period by authorizing an extension to complete licensing
requirements.
�
During this time, the
individual
]
Any individual hired by the department pursuant to this
paragraph
shall demonstrate active pursuit of licensing in each year of
employment[
;
]
through continuous and verifiable progress toward
satisfying licensing requirements, including enrollment in an approved teacher
education program, completion of relevant coursework, mentorship, application
of necessary credentials, or other method approved by the board;

����
(4)
�
Submitting an annual report to the
board
documenting:

���������
(A)
�
The number of emergency hires in
department schools by subject matter areas and by school;

���������
(B)
�
The reasons and duration of employment
for the emergency hiring enumerated in subparagraph (A); and

���������
(C)
�
The department's efforts to address the
shortages described in subparagraph (A); and

����
(5)
�
Providing any other information
requested by the
board that is pertinent
to its powers and duties."

����
SECTION 2.
�

Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Teacher
Licensing; Emergency Hire; Exemptions; Licensure Progress

Description:

Removes 3-year
employment limit for unlicensed teachers hired on an emergency basis.
�
Requires that unlicensed teachers hired on an
emergency basis make continuous and verifiable progress toward satisfying
licensing requirements.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.