Bill > HB930

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to Article X, Section 1 of Hawaii's State Constitution, specifically to add the requirement that the statewide public school system be "thorough and efficient". The bill emerges from findings that Hawaii's current constitutional language does not specify the quality of public education, and that the state faces significant educational challenges, including a teacher shortage of 166 vacancies for the 2024-2025 school year, decaying school facilities, and educational inequalities highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges particularly impact socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, special education students, and native Hawaiian students. If passed, the amendment would modify the existing constitutional text to explicitly mandate that the state's public school system be thorough and efficient, which would potentially create a legal basis for addressing systemic educational issues. The proposed change would be put to voters via a ballot measure asking whether the Hawaii State Constitution should be amended to require a thorough and efficient statewide public school system, with the amendment taking effect upon compliance with the state constitution's amendment procedures.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=930&year=2025