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HB2165Introduced in the House

Relating To The Hawaii Employment Security Law.

Engrossed

Introduced by Jackson Sayama, District 21

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Amends the qualifications for unemployed individuals who are able to receive unemployment benefits. Beginning 4/1/2027, removes the two-year limitation on the recoupment of overpayments and limits the amount of overpaid amount and the penalty assessment amount that can be deducted from future benefits payable to the individual. Beginning 4/1/2027, requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to assess and collect a service charge for dishonored unemployment insurance assessments. Beginning 4/1/2027, specifies that employers must report separation and wage information within five calendar days of notice being sent, whether by mail or electronic notification. Beginning 4/1/2027, increases the penalty for failure to report separations or wages and for failure to file or for filing insufficient wage reports. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Where it stands

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

April 16, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Ways and Means: Passed, Unamended · April 6, 2026

12

Yes

0

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

13 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
Lorraine Inouye1Yes
Dru Kanuha3Yes
Tim Richards4Yes
Troy Hashimoto5Yes
Lynn Decoite7Yes
Sharon Moriwaki12Yes
Donna Kim14Yes
Glenn Wakai15Yes
Brandon Elefante16Yes
Donovan Cruz17Yes

Bill history

  1. Pending introduction.

  2. Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  3. Referred to LAB, CPC, referral sheet 5

  4. Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 02-10-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  5. The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

  6. Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 281-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

  7. Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with Representative(s) Garcia, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).

  8. Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  9. The committee(s) on CPC recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-04-26.

  10. Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 03-04-26 2:00PM in conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  11. The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick.

  12. Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1053-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.

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

  14. Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Grandinetti, Kapela, Perruso, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Garcia, Gedeon, Hussey, Iwamoto, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Poepoe voting no (10) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

  15. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 372).

  16. Passed First Reading.

  17. Referred to LBT, WAM.

  18. The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

  19. The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Fevella.

  20. Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3351) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

  21. The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

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

  23. The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-06-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

  24. The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..

  25. Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3619) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.

  26. One Day Notice 04-10-26.

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

  28. Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 547) in amended form (SD 1).

  29. House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

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

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