State Rep. Diamond Garcia, whose Native Hawaiian grandmother was forbidden from speaking Hawaiian, has introduced House Bill 157, requiring that Hawaii public school students take a Hawaiian language class. Since Hawaii is the only state with two official languages — Hawaiian and English — olelo Hawaii should be established as integral to state operations, the freshman House member advocates.

Questions to consider now include whether knowing Hawaiian is an asset for students — or whether requiring Hawaiian-language studies will make it so, by creating opportunities for more Hawaiian-language teachers.

HB 157 passed first reading on Jan. 19.