Testimony

SEAC routinely provides testimony to the Hawaii State Legislature and the Board of Education and occasionally testifies on federal legislation.

Click here for Board of Education Testimony:

Testimonies to the 2022 Legislature:

SEAC pays attention to funding for the Department of Education and the Department of Health. Once bills are introduced, SEAC’s legislative committee prioritizes key issues and begins to follow hearings with testimony as needed. The following 2019 testimonies are listed in the order of submission (most recent to oldest).

  • HB 996, HD 1, SD 1 – April 5, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary strongly supporting requiring diagnostic audiologic evaluation results of newborn hearing screening evaluations to be provided to the Department of Health.
  • HB 997, HD 1, SD 1 – April 5, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary strongly supporting amending the hearing and vision program for quality improvement and increasing the identification of children with hearing or vision loss.
  • SB 2822, SD 1, HD 1 – April 5, 2022 testimony to the House Committee on Finance supporting the intent of a HIDOE requirement to offer asthma instruction to students and provide mandatory asthma training to teachers and other staff who interact with students.
  • SB 2820, SD 2 – April 1, 2022 testimony to the House Committee on Finance strongly supporting funding for pay differentials for special education teachers and step increases in the salaries for educational assistants and classroom teachers.
  • SB 2826, SD 2 – April 1, 2022 testimony to the House Committee on Finance supporting the career development success program
  • HB 2125, HD 2 – March 23, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education expressing serious reservations about HIDOE’s proposal to create the offense of harassment of an educational worker for disrupting or interfering with the administration or functions of any school, school administration office, or school board.
  • HB 1600, HD 1 – March 22, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means supporting the HIDOE budget and EDN 150 funding.
  • SB 2820, SD 2 – March 17, 2022 testimony to the House Committee on Education in strong support of pay differentials for special education teachers.
  • HB 1600 – March 10, 2022  testimony to the House Committee on Finance supporting the HIDOE budget and EDN 150 funding.
  • SB 2748, SD 1 – March 2, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means supporting  parent choice in extending early intervention services  from age three to kindergarten for families who wish to continue with the Department of Health.
  • HB 2482, HD 2 – March 1, 2022  testimony to the House Committee on Finance supporting the intent of ensuring Seizure Safe Schools for public and private school students with seizure disorders.
  • HB 1941, HD 1 – February 25, 2022 testimony to the House Committee on Finance supporting  an HIDOE grant program to provide funding for the planning and implementation of community schools.
  • SB 2071, SD 1 – February 24, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means supporting an appropriation to the Hawaii Early Childhood  Educator Special Fund to provide stipends to early childhood educators.
  • SB 2564, SD 1 – February 23, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means in support of funding for additional after-school programs in middle/intermediate schools.
  • SB 2701, SD 1 – February 23, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means supporting the intent of ensuring Seizure Safe Schools for public and private school students with seizure disorders.
  • SB 2822, SD 1 – February 23, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means supporting the intent of a HIDOE requirement to offer asthma instruction to students and provide mandatory asthma training to teachers and other staff who interact with students.
  • SB 2024, SD 1 – February 18, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means in support of a mandatory requirement to report all newborn hearing diagnostic results to the Department of Health.
  • SB 2071 – February 9, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Health supporting the intent of ensuring Seizure Safe Schools for public and private school students with seizure disorders.
  • SB 2701 – February 9, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Human Services supporting an appropriation to the Hawaii Early Childhood  Educator Special Fund to provide stipends to early childhood educators.
  • SB 2820 – January 28, 2022 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education in strong support of pay differentials for special education teachers.

Testimonies to the 2021 Legislature:

  • SB 815, SD 2 – March 16, 2021 testimony to the House Education Committee supporting the intent of establishing maintenance of effort provisions for funding K-12 public education.
  • HB 1360, HD 1 – February 24, 2021 testimony to the House Finance Committee supporting the creation of an early childhood educator stipend program to address the shortage of qualified early childhood educators and a uniform assessment for public & charter school kindergarten students.
  • SB 805 – February 3, 2021 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education strongly supporting a permanent exemption from behavior analyst licensing for classroom teachers who implement ABA services in a school setting and licensed teachers who have gone through a severe/profound disabilities and autism licensure program.

Testimonies to the 2020 Legislature:

  • HB 200, HD 1 – May 11, 2020 testimony to the Senate Ways and Means Committee requesting that DOE be given flexibility in prioritizing funding for special education teacher pay differentials and the new staffing methodology to ensure equity of funding for special education personnel.
  • SB 2901, SD 2 – March 17, 2020 testimony to the House Committee on Health supporting increased early identification of children with a hearing or vision loss and effective follow-up care.
  • SB 2488, SD 2 – March 13, 2020 testimony to House Committees on Lower & Higher Education and Labor & Public Employment in support of special education classroom teacher pay differentials.
  • SB 3156, SD 1 – February 27, 2020 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means in strong support of a statewide transition success network for high school students with disabilities.
  • HB 141, HD 2 – February 21, 2020 testimony to the House Committee on Finance in support of Seizure Safe Schools in both public an public charter schools for students with seizure disorders.
  • SB 2281 – February 19, 2020 testimony to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health supporting the permanent regulation of behavior analysts under Chapter 465D and proposing an exception for special education teachers who have a license in severe/profound disabilities or autism.
  • SB 2486 – January 31, 2020 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education supporting that DOE provide a standardized data collection process and collect and analyze data relating to student discipline, school climate and student achievement.
  • SB 2256 – January 27, 2020 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education supporting DOE providing incentives to enhance the recruitment and retention of public school teachers, and in particular, special education teachers.

Testimonies to the 2019 Legislature:

  • SB 341, SB 2 – March 14, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Lower & Higher Education strongly supporting amendments to HRS 465D-7 to exempt licensed special education teachers whose scope and training include applied behavior analysis.
  • HB 1346, HD 2 – February 26, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Finance prohibiting student suspensions and expulsions within the Executive Office on Early Learning Public Prekindergarten Program.
  • HB 1524, HD 1 – February 25, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Finance to provide additional funds, positions, and adjustments to the 2019-20 DOE base budget.
  • HB 1523, HD 1 – February 25, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Finance supporting the appropriation of funds for DOE’s 2019-10 operating budget
  • HB 2, HD 1 – February 22, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Ways and Means supporting adding the DOE base budget for 2019-21 and additional funds and positions.
  • SB 126 – February 22, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Ways and Means supporting the base budget for the Department of Education for fiscal biennium 2019-21.
  • SB 1220 – February 20, 2019 testimony to the Committees on Education and Human Services strongly supporting the prohibition of suspensions and expulsions within the Executive Office on Early Learning Public Prekindergarten Program.
  • HB 1009 – February 5, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Labor and Public Employment strongly supporting making permanent the requirement for certain movie theaters to provide open movie captioning at least twice a week.
  • SB 331– January 30, 2019 testimony to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health strongly supporting making permanent the requirement for certain movie theaters to provide open movie captioning at least twice a week.
  • SB 12  and SB 114 – January 29, 2019 testimony to the Committees on Education and Housing strongly supporting a housing voucher program for full time teachers.
  • SB 387 – January 29, 2019 testimony to the Committees on Education and Housing in support of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation assisting DOE in developing teacher housing projects .

Testimonies to the 2018 Legislature:

  • SB 2925 – February 28, 2018 testimony to the Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health supporting the intent of clarifying the delivery of applied behavior analysis in school settings.
  • SB 2650, H.D. 1 – February 27, 2018 testimony to the Committee on the Judiciary strongly supporting making permanent the requirement for certain movie theaters to provide open movie captioning at least twice a week.
  • HB 2418 – February 27, 2018 testimony to the Committee on Finance  supporting the intent of a bill authorizing the Department to expend previously appropriated funds to pay plaintiff attorneys in the E.R.K. settlement.
  • SB 2922 – February 5, 2018 testimony to the Committee on Education strongly supporting the intent to allow an amendment to the Constitution to allow a surcharge on rental property to increase funding for public education.
  • SB 2340 – January 31, 2018 testimony to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health strongly supporting the ensuring of key benefits of the Affordable Care Act under state law.
  • SB 2521 – January 31, 2018 testimony to the Committee on Education strongly supporting providing funds to special education teachers toward instructional materials and equipment to meet the needs of their students.
  • SB 2083 – January 31, 2018 testimony to the Committee on Education strongly supporting funds for after-school programs at four middle schools.

Testimonies to the 2017 Legislature:

  • HB 918, HD 1 – March 15, 2017 testimony to the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Health supporting funding for a web-based data system for the Early Intervention Section
  • HB 100 – March 8, 2017 testimony to the Finance Committee supporting funding for budget items related to 1) seclusion and restraints training and certification, and 2) additional positions to expand the Pre-Kindergarten Program.
  • SB 510, SD 1 – February 28, 2017 testimony to the Senate Judiciary  & Labor Committee and the Ways and Means Committee supporting the intent of the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn program
  • HB 498, HD1 – February 28, 2017 testimony to the House Finance Committee supporting broadening the scope of the early learning program and the function of the Early Learning Advisory Board
  • HB 930 – February 28, 2017 supporting the intent of creating and funding an Erin’s Law Task Force to guide a program to educate public school students on sexual abuse prevention
  • HB 672, HD 2 – February 23, 2017 testimony to House Finance Committee relating to supporting the intent of the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn program.
  • HB 552, HD2 – February 23, 2017 testimony to the House Finance Committee supporting  ensuring the health insurance benefits of the Affordable Care Act under state law
  • HB 180, HD 1 and HB 182, HD 1 – February 14, 2017 testimony to the House Committee on the Judiciary supporting the intent of bills to increase funding for public education in Hawaii
  • SB 496 – February 13, 2017 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education supporting the intent of funding to the Department of Education to provide training on social and emotional learning to school personnel, parents and youth-serving agencies
  • SB 510 – February 13, 2017 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education supporting the intent of the Healthy Keiki: Ready to Learn program
  • SB 683 and SB 686 – February 3, 2017 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education supporting the intent of   bills to increase funding for public education in Hawaii
  • HB 180 and HB 182 – February 3, 2017 testimony to the House Committee on Education supporting the intent of bills to increase funding for public education in Hawaii

Testimonies to the 2016 Legislature:

  • SB1700, HD 1, SD 1 – April 21, 2016 testimony  to the Committees on Health and Consumer Protection & Commerce in support of certain line items in the State Budget related to children with disabilities
  • SCR 153, SD 1 – April 14, 2016 testimony to the House Committees on Education and Human Services requesting DOE to conduct a two-year pilot project to implement contracts for services for students with disabilities on a block basis in addition to a one-to-one basis
  • HB 1814, HD 1, SD 1 – March 29, 2016 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means in support of an appropriation for training and data keeping on restraints of students
  • SCR 153/SR 115 – March 28, 2016 testimony to the Senate Committees on Education and Human Services requesting DOE to conduct a two-year pilot project to implement contracts for services for students with disabilities on a block basis rather than on a one-to-one basis
  • SB 1311, SD 2 – March 21, 2016 testimony to the Committees on Health and Consumer Protection & Commerce asking that DOE have until July 1, 2017 to come into compliance with ABA licensing requirements in order to avoid a potential disruption in services to students with autism
  • HB 2510, HD 1 – March 15, 2016 testimony to the Senate Committees on Education and Housing in support of a housing voucher program for full-time public school classroom teachers
  • SB 1311, SD 1 – March 1, 1016 testimony to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means  in support of the amendments which removed language appearing to exempt school-based professionals and paraprofessionals from coming into compliance with Act 199 (ABA licensure).
  • HB 1814, HD 1 – February 25, 2016 testimony to the Committee on Finance in support of an appropriation for training and data keeping on restraints of students
  • SB 2887, SD 1 – February 23, 2016 testimony to the Committee on Ways and Means in support of amending the definition of developmental disabilities to include children from birth to nine who have a substantial developmental delay or specific congenital or acquired condition 
  • SB 2611 – February 12, 2016 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education in support of an appropriation for training and data keeping on restraints of students
  • SB 2610 – February 8, 2016 testimony to the Senate Committee on Education supporting a requirement that at least one member of the Committee on Weights be a special education representative
  •  HB 2510 – February 8, 2016 testimony to the House Committee on Education in support of a housing voucher program for full-time public school classroom teachers
  • HB 868, Proposed HD 1 – February 8, 2016 testimony to the House Committee on Education in support of the intent to allow certain school personnel to engage in behavior analysis without licensure provided that the activity is not a treatment for autism as defined in Act 235
  • HB 1715 – February 8, 2016 testimony to the House Committee on Education in support of  an appropriation to fund high-quality early childhood education in public schools
  • HB 1814 –  February 5, 2016 testimony to the House Committee on Education in support of an appropriation for training and data keeping on restraints of students

How to Receive Notices of Budget requests /hearings:  One very useful resource is the State Council on Developmental Disabilities Legislative Network. You can receive free notices of upcoming meetings related to children and adults with disabilities by signing-up at hiddclegnetwork@doh.hawaii.gov

Where to Learn More about the legislative process:  SEAC recommends reviewing how the process works. The state has compiled a Citizen’s Guide to Participation in the Legislative Process to better illustrate its steps.