SB2550 • 2026

RELATING TO SCHOOL MODERNIZATION.

Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: HASHIMOTO
Last action: 2026-05-01
Official status: Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 5:00PM in conference room 229.
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 SCHOOL MODERNIZATION.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO SCHOOL MODERNIZATION.
School Facilities Authority; School Modernization Initiative; Capital Improvement Project Planning Database ($) Requires the School Facilities Authority to establish a school modernization initiative through a capital improvement project planning database for school facilities statewide.
Effective 7/1/3000.
(HD1)

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.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2550 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2550 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2550 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2550 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2550 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2550 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL MODERNIZATION .

Bill History

2026-05-01 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 5:00PM in conference room 229.
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 1:36PM in conference room 229.
2026-04-29 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 2:45PM in conference room 229.
2026-04-28 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-29-26 3:00PM in conference room 229.
2026-04-28 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 840).
2026-04-27 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 2:55PM; Conference Room 229.
2026-04-27 H
House Conferees Appointed: Woodson, Yamashita Co-Chairs; La Chica, Olds, Souza.
2026-04-22 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 720).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Hashimoto Co-Chair; DeCorte.
2026-04-10 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 564).
2026-04-10 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 512).
2026-04-09 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Perruso voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-09 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2009-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Perruso; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-04-02 H
The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26.
2026-03-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-30 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1511-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-03-24 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Evslin, Kapela, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Amato, Garrett, Kila.
2026-03-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 03-24-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to EDN, FIN, referral sheet 16
2026-03-10 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-06 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 64) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-06 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
One Day Notice 03-06-26.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2736) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2026-02-25 S
The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-23 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:57AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2580) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-18 S
The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 1:02PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to EDU, WAM.
2026-01-23 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SCHOOL MODERNIZATION.
School Facilities Authority; School Modernization Initiative; Capital Improvement Project Planning Database ($)
Requires the School Facilities Authority to establish a school modernization initiative through a capital improvement project planning database for school facilities statewide. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2550

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2550

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to school modernization
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that Hawaii schools are
physical assets estimated to be valued at approximately $10,500,000,000.
�
The average age of a school building in
Hawaii is sixty years.
�
Approximately
five hundred ninety-four buildings are operating beyond their expected life.

����
The legislature finds that the
construction climate is historically challenging in Hawaii and has worsened due
to unprecedented escalation related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
�
The legislature further finds that the amount
of money the State spends on school-related construction and the reasons for
such spending needs to be transparent and warranted expenditures.

����
The legislature also finds that for
the past twelve years, the State has appropriated an annual average of
approximately $454,000,000 for capital improvement projects for the department
of education, yet no data-based process for determining how and why projects
are funded and prioritized for construction exists.

����
The legislature further finds that
the State needs an industry standard facilities assessment framework and
inventory to answer fundamental questions regarding school-related construction
in order to be able to efficiently and effectively spend capital improvement
program appropriations.

����
The purpose of this Act is to
establish the school modernization initiative to provide a framework as an
informed, unbiased process to responsibly address all school facility-related
projects in Hawaii.

����
SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part VI, subpart C, to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�302A-
�
School
capital improvement project planning; legislative districts.
�
(a) The authority shall establish a school modernization initiative
through a capital improvement project planning database for school facilities
statewide.
�
The planning database shall
include, at a minimum:

����
(1)
�
An asset
inventory of school properties, buildings, facilities, and infrastructure,
which shall be updated no later than June 30 of each year;

����
(2)
�
A facilities
condition index, which shall provide data and ratings on the condition of all
school facilities, provided that the rating of a school facility shall be
updated no less than every three years; and

����
(3)
�
Enrollment to
capacity ratio data, which shall be updated no later than December 1 of each
year.

The
information in the planning database shall be organized by legislative district
and complex area to allow legislators and stakeholders to assess needs and
priorities specific to their communities.
�

The information in the planning database shall also be available to the
public through the authority's website.

����
(b)
�
Using the information from the planning
database established pursuant to subsection (a), the authority shall establish
a school modernization initiative to identify, assess, and prioritize school
facilities projects using a classification system, including school facilities
projects for:

����
(1)
�
Critical
infrastructure, such as school facilities projects involving:

���������
(A)
�
Fire
alarm systems;

���������
(B)
�
Electrical,
sewer, or water capacity;

���������
(C)
�
Roofing
or structural integrity;

���������
(D)
�
Air
conditioning; or

���������
(E)
�
Other
infrastructure necessary for the safe operation of a building;

����
(2)
�
Addressing
capacity, such as school facilities projects for new classrooms, buildings, or
schools;

����
(3)
�
Adding or
enhancing functional adequacy, such as school facilities projects that add or
enhance school administration, athletics, or other educational programs; and

����
(4)
�
Compliance with
federal and state laws.

����
(c)
�
No later than August 15 of each year, the
authority shall submit a report to the legislature, governor, board of
education, and superintendent to assist with statewide planning and
decision-making on school facilities projects.
�
The report shall include:

����
(1)
�
The most
current asset inventory and facilities condition index, pursuant to
subsection(a);

����
(2)
�
Enrollment to
capacity ratio data, pursuant to subsection(a), by school and geographic area;

����
(3)
�
Prioritized
statewide and geographic area lists of school facilities projects classified
pursuant to subsection (b); and

����
(4)
�
An analysis on
school capacity utilization with recommendations for optimizing utilization.

����
(d)
�
The authority shall report information and
analysis from the school modernization initiative to the board of education as
necessary, but no less than once a year, to assist the board of education in
decision-making on:

����
(1)
�
Opening new
schools or closing existing schools, pursuant to section 302A-1129; and

����
(2)
�
Repurposing
schools or unused public school facilities, pursuant to section 302A-1151.1.

����
(e)
�
For the purposes of this section,
"school facilities projects" mean existing or proposed capital
improvement projects for properties, buildings, facilities, or infrastructure
owned by or under the control of the department or the authority.
"

����
SECTION
3
.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $4,000,000 or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to be deposited into the
school facilities special fund.

����
SECTION
4
.
�
There is appropriated out of the
school facilities special fund the sum of $4,000,000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to establish the school modernization
initiative.

����
The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the school facilities authority for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 5.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

School
Facilities Authority; School Modernization Initiative; Capital Improvement
Project Planning Database; Appropriation

Description:

Requires
the School Facilities Authority to establish a school modernization initiative
through a capital improvement project planning database for school facilities
statewide.
�
Appropriates funds.

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