HB620 establishes the Hawaii Braille Literacy Education Act and declares braille literacy a state policy. The bill requires that, for eligible students with low vision or blindness, section 504 plans or individualized education programs include an assessment of reading and writing ability, needs, and appropriate media, including whether braille instruction or braille use is needed. When appropriate, braille instruction and braille instructional materials must be provided, and if braille is not deemed appropriate, that determination must be documented with supporting assessment information.
The bill also creates a Braille Literacy Resource Center within the Department of Education. The center would advocate for braille services, obtain braille instructional materials, provide information to families and students about braille literacy and assistive technology, support plan development when requested, and coordinate with the Department of Human Services on the state register of the blind. The department is authorized to adopt administrative rules to implement the new part of Chapter 302A, and the bill includes an unspecified general fund appropriation for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to establish and operate the center.
Impact
HB620 would amend Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding a new part governing braille services for low vision or blind students. It would require school-based disability planning documents under IDEA and Section 504 to address braille literacy needs more explicitly, and it would require timely provision of braille instructional materials alongside print materials, including substitute materials when originals are delayed. The bill also creates a new DOE resource center and authorizes rulemaking, while appropriating state funds for implementation.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong support for the bill. It passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously, 5-0, with amendments, and later passed the Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously, 13-0, without further amendment. The bill text and report title frame the measure as an equity and access initiative for students with visual impairments, and there is no recorded opposition in the provided materials.
Contention
The main policy issue is not whether braille services should exist, but how broadly and prescriptively the state should require them. The bill mandates assessments and documentation in IEPs and Section 504 plans, which could raise implementation questions for school districts about staffing, training, material procurement, and compliance timelines. Another practical point is funding: the bill appropriates an unspecified amount, so the cost of establishing and operating the Braille Literacy Resource Center is not fully defined in the text provided.