Bill > HB1460

This bill aims to revitalize the Hawaiian language ('?olelo Hawaii') by requiring Hawaiian language instruction in public schools and establishing a pilot program. Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, the bill mandates that all public high school students must complete two credits of Hawaiian language instruction to graduate, reflecting a broader effort to preserve and promote the language after historical suppression. The legislation establishes a two-year pilot program at an elementary school in central Oahu and Nanakuli High and Intermediate School, where students will learn and practice Hawaiian. The Department of Education will design the program, award certificates to participating elementary students, recognize credits for high school students, assess student progress, and make recommendations about implementing the two-credit requirement. The department must submit a report to the legislature before the 2028 regular session, detailing the pilot program's findings and potential future actions. This bill is contextualized by the historical near-extinction of the Hawaiian language due to a late 19th-century law banning Hawaiian in schools, and subsequent revitalization efforts since the 1980s, including constitutional recognition of Hawaiian as an official state language. Funds will be appropriated from general state revenues to support the program's implementation.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1460&year=2026