STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1101

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 620

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 620, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Education to include the instruction of braille and provision of braille instructional materials under certain circumstances; and

(2) Require and appropriate funds to the Department of Education to establish and maintain a braille literacy resource center.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission; National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii; and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Education; and Special Education Advisory Council.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 620, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair