Honolulu mayor signs bill aimed at banning flavored tobacco products
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi Friday signed a bill into law aimed at banning flavored tobacco products in a bid to reduce the number of youth who vape.
Lawmakers to consider proposal for universal free school lunches
House Bill 540 states that regardless of a student's eligibility for participation in the Federal National School Lunch Program, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education shall offer one school meal to any asking student at no expense to the student each school day.
Hawaiʻi will provide free period products in all public schools
Gov. David Ige signed Senate Bill 2821 into law Monday, making Hawaiʻi the sixth state in the country to provide quality menstrual supplies free of charge to public school students.
Final testimony needed by 3 p.m. Thursday on salary compression, shortage differentials, 21 hours
This Friday, April 1, the state House Finance Committee will hear bills that are important to ensure the state can attract and retain experienced educators and ease the teacher shortage crisis.
House committee advances proposal for Hawaiian immersion expert on the BOE
The state House Committee on Judicial and Hawaiian Affairs advanced a bill last week that would require one of the at-large members of the Board of Education be an expert on Hawaiian language immersion.
Stabilization payments will help Hawaii retain its teachers
“For those who argue that the stabilization payment goes against collective bargaining, there already is a clear precedent of increasing payments to teachers outside of the collective bargaining process in Hawaii.”
Hirono, Booker announce bill to improve K-12 distance, blended learning during COVID-19
U.S. Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D, Hawaii), along with her colleague U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D, N.J.) announced their plan Friday to introduce the Learning Opportunity and Achievement Act (LOAA), which would improve distance and blended learning in our public schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
Submit testimony in support of state budget bill; swift action necessary to avoid pay cuts
Hawaii's general revenue has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic and lawmakers have worked out a plan to cover a projected $1 billion gap without cutting your pay. The Senate Committee on Ways & Means will be hearing House Bill 2200, HD1, relating to the state budget, this Monday, May 11, at 10:30 a.m. at the Hawaii State Capitol.
Key House committees advance teacher compensation bill
Earlier in the day, teachers from Oahu and Maui delivered educator declarations signed by thousands of HSTA members across the state calling for higher pay for veterans and differentials for key shortage areas in special education, hard-to-staff schools and Hawaiian language immersion.
URGENT: Testimony needed by Friday for major House hearing on teacher compensation
The House Committee on Labor & Public Employment, along with the Committee on Lower & Higher Education, will hear SB2488, SD2 Relating to teacher compensation on Friday, March 13, at 2 p.m. at the Hawaii State Capitol, Room 309. Written and oral testimony will be accepted.