Hawaii legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii HB2397: Relating to School Facilities.
Status: In committee, March 30, 2026
Transfers school impact fees from the Kalihi-Ala Moana school impact district to the S chool Impact Fees subaccount of the School Facilities Special Fund for the acquisition and renovation of one or more buildings in the downtown Honolulu area to develop and expand pre-kindergarten and charter school capacity.
What the bill says
A bill for an act relating to school facilities.
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State faces a critical shortage of early learning facilities and permanent space for public charter schools. The downtown Honolulu area, in particular, has been identified as a high-need region for expanded pre-kindergarten capacity, yet available and appropriate space for new facilities remains limited. The acquisition and renovation of an existing building represents a practical solution to expanding pre-kindergarten capacity in the downtown Honolulu area. Because a building suitable for this purpose is likely to contain more space than required for a prekindergarten center alone, collocating a public charter school within the same facility allows for the efficient use of space and addresses multiple facility needs. The legislature further finds that the school impact fee program was established to ensure that new residential development contributes to the public infrastructure it necessitates. However, school impact fees have largely remained 2026-1716 HB2397 SDl SMA.docx Page H.B. NO. S.D. unexpended. The expansion of pre-kindergarten and public charter school capacity constitutes an appropriate and consistent use of these funds. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to transfer school impact fees from the Kalihi-Ala Moana school impact district to the school impact fees subaccount of the school facilities special fund for the acquisition and renovation of one or more …
Sponsors
- Justin Woodson (D, 9) · primary sponsor
- David Alcos (R, 41)
- Terez Amato (D, 11)
- Andrew Garrett (D, 22)
- Susan Keohokapu-Lee Loy (D, 2)
- Darius Kila (D, 44)
- Matthias Kusch (D, 1)
- Lisa Marten (D, 51)
- Elijah Pierick (R, 39)
- Mahina Poepoe (D, 13)
- Julie Reyes Oda (R, 40)
- David Tarnas (D, 8)
Latest actions
- : Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
- : Reported from HOU/EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3233) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- : The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HOU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Hashimoto, Elefante; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Rhoads ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
- : The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.
- : The committee(s) on HOU/EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
- : Referred to HOU/EDU, WAM.
- : Passed First Reading.
- : Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 410).
- : Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
- : Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
Votes
- HOU: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 17, 2026): 4 yea, 0 nay, passed
- EDU: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 17, 2026): 4 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2) (March 10, 2026): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- FIN: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 4, 2026): 16 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0) (February 19, 2026): 51 yea, 0 nay, passed
- EDN: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (February 17, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Report, Appropriations, School Facilities
Common questions
- What is HB2397?
- HB2397 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to School Facilities.
- What does HB2397 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act relating to school facilities.
- What is the status of HB2397?
- In committee as of March 30, 2026. Latest action: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (March 30, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB2397?
- Justin Woodson (D, 9), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB2397?
- On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2397&year=2026
Source: official Hawaii record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.