SB 2754

THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2754
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO CIVIC EDUCATION.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
���� SECTION 1.� The legislature finds that a thriving
democracy depends on an engaged, informed, and empowered citizenry.� Yet the systems that sustain democratic
participation--critical thinking, media literacy, collaborative
problem-solving, and knowledge of governmental processes--must be intentionally
cultivated.� For students, education
received in middle school or intermediate school is a pivotal period in which
young people form lasting understandings of their role in public life and their
connection to community, government, and aina.�
To meet this moment, the State's public schools require stable,
dedicated resources that expand opportunities for students to develop civic
knowledge and the habits of democratic participation.
���� The legislature further finds that
existing funding structures do not adequately support the development of civic
knowledge for students.� Civic education
is often reliant on uneven school-level capacity, discretionary funds, or
short-term grants that cannot sustain long-range program design.� These structural gaps limit access to
experiential civic learning, professional development for social studies
teachers, and curriculum aligned with the State's civic-mission
priorities.� Without a reliable funding
mechanism, the State's obligation to prepare young people for informed
participation in our shared governance is weakened, and disparities in civic
opportunity widen.
���� The legislature also finds that to
address the systemic challenges that impede the pursuit of civic knowledge, a
special fund dedicated solely to advancing civic education in the State's
public middle and intermediate schools is needed.� By establishing a permanent,
purpose-restricted funding source, the legislature affirms that civic education
is a core public good essential to the health of our democratic systems and
will ensure that every middle and intermediate school student in Hawaii,
regardless of geography, income, or school resources, has meaningful access to
high-quality civic-learning opportunities that prepare them to participate
fully in the life of the State's democracy.
���� Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to strengthen Hawaii's civic infrastructure by establishing a civic
education grant program and civic education trust fund and dedicating their use
exclusively to support civic education in Hawaii's public middle and
intermediate schools.
���� SECTION 2.� Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:
���� "�302A-A� Civic
education grant program; establishment; administration.� (a)� There is established within
the department for administrative purposes a civic education grant program, to
be administered by the department's office of curriculum and instructional design,
to support public middle and intermediate schools in providing civic education
to students through department-approved programming that shall be integrated
within existing social studies curricula.
���� (b)�
Applications for grants shall be made to the department.� At a minimum, the applicant shall:
���� (1)� Provide a
detailed plan outlining the scope, objectives, and projected impact of the
project or projects and a clear breakdown of how grant funds will be used;
���� (2)� Agree to use
state funds exclusively for the purposes of this program;
���� (3)� Indicate
capability to properly use the grant for the purpose of the grant program;
���� (4)� Comply with all
applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination against any person
on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, age, sexual
orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected under applicable
federal or state law;
���� (5)� Agree not to
use state funds for purposes of entertainment or perquisites;
���� (6)� Comply with
other requirements as the department may prescribe;
���� (7)� Comply with all
applicable federal, state, and county statutes, rules, and ordinances;
���� (8)� Agree to
indemnify and save harmless the State of Hawaii and its officers, agents, and
employees from and against any and all claims arising out of or resulting from
activities carried out or projects undertaken with funds provided hereunder and
procure sufficient insurance to provide this indemnification if requested to do
so by the department; and
���� (9)� Agree to make
available to the department all records the applicant may have relating to the
grant to allow state agencies to monitor the applicant's compliance with this
subsection.
���� (c)�
Grant awards shall be funded by the civic education trust fund
established pursuant to section 302A-B; provided that no grant shall be awarded
without the approval of a social studies educational specialist pursuant to
section 302A-B(d).
���� (d)� Each participating school shall submit an
annual report to the department no later than December 1 of each year on how
awarded grant funds were used to further civic education, including updates or
status reports on the following:
���� (1)� Implementation
of civic education programming and curriculum;
���� (2)� Teacher
development; and
���� (3)� Progress in
meeting any evaluation metrics for civic education programming as established
by the department.
���� (e)� The department shall compile the reports
received from participating schools pursuant to subsection (d) into one report
and submit the report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the
convening of each regular session.
���� (f)� The department may adopt rules pursuant to
chapter 91 necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
���� �302A-B� Civic education trust fund; established.� (a)� There is established within
the state treasury a civic education trust fund to be administered by the
office of curriculum and instructional design of the department.
���� (b) The civic education trust fund shall
consist of:
���� (1)� Any
appropriations made by the legislature;
���� (2)� Grants, gifts,
and donations from public sources, including federal funding, or private
sources; and
���� (3)� Interest or
other income earned from the investment of moneys in the fund.
���� (c)�
The department shall expend moneys in the civic education trust fund
exclusively to support civic education programming, curriculum implementation,
teacher professional development, and student civic-learning opportunities in
public middle and intermediate schools, including through the provision of
funding for grants under the civic education grant program established pursuant
to section 302A-A.
���� (d)�
Expenditures from the civic education trust fund shall be approved by a
social studies educational specialist, as designated by the superintendent.
���� (e)�
The department shall submit an annual report on the civic education
trust fund to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening
of each regular session.� The report
shall include:
���� (1)� Expenditures
from and contributions to the trust fund during the preceding fiscal year; and
���� (2)� Results and
outcomes achieved from expenditures from the trust fund.
���� (f)� Moneys deposited into or
appropriated to the trust fund shall remain available until they are obligated
or until the trust fund is terminated.�
If the trust fund is terminated, all funds, including interest or other
income earned from the investment of moneys in the fund, shall be transferred
to the general fund."
���� SECTION 3.� In codifying the new sections added by
section 2 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate
section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this
Act.
���� SECTION 4.� New statutory material is underscored.
���� SECTION 5.� This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Department
of Education; Civic Education; Public Middle Schools; Public Intermediate Schools;
Civic Education Grant Program; Civic Education Trust Fund; Reports
Description:
Establishes
a Civic Education Grant Program to provide support to public middle and
intermediate schools in providing civic education to students through
department approved programming. �Establishes
a Civic Education Trust Fund.� Requires
reports to the Legislature.� Effective
7/1/2050.� (SD1)
The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.