Committee replaces House Bill 622 language with Senate version, sets computer-science report due in October

The Senate Committee on Education on March 10 substituted Senate language into House Bill 622 and passed the measure with amendments to set the Department of Education's computer science legislative report due in October each year.

The substitution and passage came during the committee's decision-making session after the Department of Education confirmed support for changing the report date. "The department stands on its written testimony in support of this measure," said Teriyushijima, representing the Department of Education's Office of Curriculum Instructional Design.

The bill as introduced moved the report due date from June 30 to 20 days prior to the start of each regular legislative session. In the decision-making meeting the committee voted to replace the bill text with the Senate version (Senate Bill 1390 SD1) and to set the reporting date in October. Chair Kidani led the vote; the record shows all five members present voted aye.

Committee members discussed the preferred timeline. Chair Kidani noted the committee had previously passed a Senate version that set an October deadline and asked whether the department agreed to that schedule; Teriyushijima confirmed the department planned to submit the report by October or sooner.

The committee's recommendation was adopted as passed with amendments, making the measure effective upon approval.

Votes at a glance: House Bill 622 HD1 (substituted with Senate language) — Passed with amendments; Chair Kidani: aye; Vice Chair Kim: aye; Senator Hashimoto: aye; Senator Keating Hall: aye; Senator McCoy: aye. All five members present voted in favor.

The committee moved on to other agenda items after the vote; the bill will proceed according to Senate rules for measures passed out of committee.