STAND. COM. REP. NO. 344

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 763

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. 763 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIC EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Hawaii Civic Education Trust Fund for the educational benefit of students in the Hawaii public school system; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the expansion of civic education in public schools.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; PACE Commission; Hawaiʻi Youth Food Council; Green Party of Hawaiʻi; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Department of Education. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that civic education prepares students to participate in the public and political lives of their communities and helps them develop critical thinking skills that are vital to the functioning of a democratic nation. Your Committee further finds that the establishment of a Hawaii Civic Education Trust Fund and providing funding to the Department of Education to increase access to civic education in Hawaii's public school systems will increase voter turnout and citizen engagement over the long term.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amount appropriated and amount of positions to be funded to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of:

(1) $84,000 for the expansion of civic education in public schools; and

(2) $200,000 for two permanent civic education resource teacher positions.

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. 763, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 763, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair