Bill > HB100

This bill aims to enhance Hawaii's public education system by allowing school complexes to incorporate media literacy into their standards-based curriculum. Specifically, the bill modifies Section 302A-321 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes by adding a new subsection that permits schools to develop curriculum content addressing critical digital citizenship issues such as misinformation, disinformation, digital discrimination, and online hate speech. The legislative findings highlight the growing threats of digital misinformation and hate speech, citing evidence such as a Council on Foreign Relations report that links digital hate speech to increased violence against minorities and a Kaiser Family Foundation study showing that over 78% of U.S. adults believed or were uncertain about multiple false statements related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill emphasizes that education is fundamental to a healthy democracy and that schools should provide instruction that is historically and scientifically accurate and free from discrimination. By enabling school complexes to voluntarily integrate media literacy into their existing curriculum, the legislation seeks to empower students to critically evaluate digital information and understand the potential negative impacts of online discourse. The bill will take effect upon its approval, allowing schools to begin implementing these media literacy components at their discretion.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=100&year=2026