The People's Ledger
← All Hawaii bills

HB1531Introduced in the House

Relating To Emergency Announcements.

EngrossedSenate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs

Introduced by Sam Kong, District 33

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

Requires the Governor or mayor of a county, during a state of emergency, to provide an American Sign Language interpreter at each live broadcast press conference. Requires the Governor or mayor of a county to provide a primary pool feed for any live official announcement that includes an American Sign Language interpreter in a picture-in-picture window, and does not require broadcasters that rebroadcast the official announcement to independently generate or insert this accessibility feature. Requires, to the fullest extent possible, that the American Sign Language interpreter's face, body, arms, and hands are visible. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Where it stands

Referred to PSM, WAM.

March 12, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

No recorded vote is available for this bill yet.

Bill history

  1. Prefiled.

  2. Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  3. Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 1

  4. Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Friday, 01-30-26 11:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  5. The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-04-26.

  6. Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-04-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  7. The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-06-26 11:30AM.

  8. Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 02-06-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  9. The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

  10. Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 191-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

  11. 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 Representative(s) Holt excused (1).

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

  13. The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama.

  14. Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1146-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.

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

  16. Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Hartsfield, Kahaloa, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kila, Olds, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

  17. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 240).

  18. Passed First Reading.

  19. Referred to PSM, WAM.

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.