The People's Ledger
← All Hawaii bills

HB1510Introduced in the House

Relating To License Plates.

Passed

Introduced by Scot Matayoshi, District 49

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.

Official description

Conditions the issuance of a certificate of inspection upon a vehicle not being equipped with any cover or shield installed over the license plate. Amends the penalty for obstruction of a license plate. Allows state or county parking enforcement officers and persons authorized by a state or county law enforcement agency to issue citations for vehicles with a cover or shield obstructing the license plate. Repeals the requirement that a cover or shield be intended to alter or interfere with the visibility, legibility, or identification of a license plate by law enforcement or traffic enforcement systems. Effective 1/1/2027. (SD1)

Where it stands

Act 012, on 05/14/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1112).

May 14, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Judiciary: Passed, Unamended · March 31, 2026

5

Yes

0

No

0

Absent or Not Voting

5 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Joy San Buenaventura2Yes
Stanley Chang9Yes
Karl Rhoads13Yes
Mike Gabbard21Yes
Brenton Awa23Yes

Bill history

  1. Prefiled.

  2. Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  3. Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 1

  4. Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Thursday, 02-12-26 8:30AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  5. The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Miyake, Cochran, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Grandinetti.

  6. Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 438-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

  7. Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

  8. Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-05-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  9. The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Cochran, Kahaloa, Takayama, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Hashem, Sayama.

  10. Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1171-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.

  11. Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.

  12. Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

  13. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 232).

  14. Passed First Reading.

  15. Referred to TRS, JDC.

  16. The committee(s) on TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 3:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

  17. The committee(s) on TRS has rescheduled its public hearing to 03-17-26 3:00PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

  18. The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TRS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

  19. Reported from TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3111) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

  20. Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.

  21. The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-31-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

  22. The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

  23. Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3655) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.

  24. One Day Notice 04-10-26.

  25. Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

  26. Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 520) in amended form (SD 1).

  27. House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

  28. Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).

  29. Reconsideration of action taken on 04-14-26.

  30. Received notice of House reconsideration of action in disagreeing to the amendments proposed by the Senate (Hse. Com. No. 814).

  31. House agrees to Senate amendment(s).

  32. Passed Final Reading as amended in SD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia voting no (2) and Representative(s) Evslin excused (1).

  33. Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 823).

  34. Transmitted to Governor.

  35. Act 012, 05/14/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1112).

  36. Act 012, on 05/14/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1112).

Verify the information

Our commitment to neutrality

We provide factual information only. We never tell you which politicians or bills to support, and we do not rank, score, or endorse anyone.