SB2125Introduced in the Senate
Relating To Teacher Licensing.
Introduced by Lynn Decoite, District 7
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.
Official description
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)
Where it stands
Act 030, on 05/22/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1130).
May 26, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House votes
1 recorded vote · each counted separately
Senate votes
2 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: Senate Conference: Passed, With Amendments · May 1, 2026
2
Yes
0
No
1
Absent or Not Voting
3 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.
See how each senator voted
| Senator | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Troy Hashimoto | 5 | Yes |
| Donna Kim | 14 | Yes |
| Samantha DeCorte | 22 | Absent |
Bill history
Pending Introduction.
Introduced and passed First Reading.
Referred to EDU, WAM.
The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
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.
Re-Referred to EDU.
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.
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
48 Hrs. Notice 02-25-26.
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.
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 15) in amended form (SD 1).
Pass First Reading
Referred to EDN, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 15
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 03-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
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.
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1289-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.
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).
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
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.
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1463-26), recommending referral to FIN.
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).
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-08-26.
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 04-08-26 1:57PM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
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.
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2107-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
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.
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 627).
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Hashimoto, DeCorte.
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714).
House Conferees Appointed: Woodson, Sayama, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; La Chica, Olds, Muraoka.
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-30-26 1:34PM; Conference Room 229.
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 874).
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 1:30PM in conference room 229.
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 4:00PM in conference room 229.
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.
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.
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 208-26).
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 208-26) as amended in (CD 1).
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
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).
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
Enrolled to Governor.
Act 030, 05/22/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1130).
Act 030, on 05/22/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1130).
Verify the information
- Official page on the Hawaii Legislature website
- Testimony (supplement)
- Committee Report (supplement)
- Testimony (supplement)
- Committee Report (supplement)
- Testimony (supplement)
- Committee Report (supplement)
- Testimony (supplement)
- Committee Report (supplement)
- Committee Report (supplement)
- Introduced (text)
- Amended (text)
- Amended (text)
- Amended (text)
- Amended (text)
Our commitment to neutrality
We provide factual information only. We never tell you which politicians or bills to support, and we do not rank, score, or endorse anyone.