STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 175
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: H.B. No. 625
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 Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 625 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Hawaiʻi Association of School Psychologists; and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.
Your Committee finds that school psychologists are integral to meeting students' mental, emotional, and social needs, as well as helping students succeed in the school environment. The National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of one school psychologist to every five hundred students; however, many school psychologists in the State have more than fifteen hundred students.
Your Committee further finds that the establishment of a Nationally Certified School Psychologist Incentive Program will assist the State in addressing the critical shortage of accredited school psychologists in public schools and provide students with access to professionals who engage in high quality, evidence-based practices.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the amounts awarded to unspecified amounts; and
(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000.
Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider establishing an award amount of:
(1) $5,000 per year to each nationally certified school psychologist who maintains a current national certification;
(2) Up to $500, depending on the certification fee structure, upon completing all components of the Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential; and
(3) An additional $5,000 bonus per year to each school psychologist employed by the Department of Education who maintains a current Nationally Certified School Psychologist certificate and provides school psychology services to children in a hard-to-fill area as defined by the Department.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 625, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 625, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,
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____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair |
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