The Maui News 

State House committees on Education and Economic Development passed out a bill Tuesday that aims to provide broad tax relief to Hawaii residents. 

House Bill 1049 aims to restructure the state’s income tax brackets, increase tax credits for working families and create tax credits for teacher expenses, according to a House news release.

The two committees held a joint hearing on the bill Tuesday. The measure will be up for second reading on the floor. 

The bill, which intends to increase the income of working families by thousands of dollars, would restructure the state’s income tax brackets and lower income tax for all brackets, double the standard deduction for individual filers from $2,200 to $5,000 and double the personal exemption from $1,144 to $2,288. 

Additionally, Hawaii’s renters would see relief through increased tax credits.

The bill also aims to provide a tax credit for teachers’ qualifying expenses, which include classroom books, supplies, computer equipment and supplementary materials. 

According to the bill, qualified instructors include those who are employed by the state Department of Education, a charter school or a private school in Hawaii as a kindergarten through 12th-grade teacher for at least 900 hours during the tax year. 

On Tuesday, lawmakers also discussed the idea of including pre-kindergarten teachers under this qualification.

“Teachers play a critical role in shaping the future of our children and our society, and it is vital for us to continue to support their efforts and listen to what they’ve been asking for,” said Education Committee Chairman Justin Woodson, a Maui representative whose district includes Kahului, Puunene and a portion of Wailuku.