Bill > HB154

This bill amends Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 28-8.3 to create an exemption that allows public charter schools to independently hire and retain their own legal counsel, which was previously prohibited. Currently, most state departments are not permitted to employ attorneys outside of the attorney general's office, with only specific exceptions listed in the law. The bill adds public charter schools (as defined in section 302D-1) to the list of entities that can hire their own attorneys, effectively giving these schools more autonomy in managing legal matters related to their operations. The purpose of the bill, as stated in Section 1, is to empower public charter schools and their governing boards to address legal matters more effectively and equitably by allowing them to retain independent legal counsel for certain actions involving their charter. The amendment is a technical change that simply adds public charter schools to the existing list of exceptions, and the bill will take effect immediately upon approval.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=154&year=2026