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SB109Introduced in the Senate

Relating To The Hawaiian Language.

Engrossed

Introduced by Karl Rhoads, District 13

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Requires that the Hawaiian version of a law be held binding if the law in question was originally drafted in Hawaiian and meets certain criteria. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Where it stands

Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).

April 2, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Judiciary: Passed, With Amendments · February 19, 2025

4

Yes

0

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

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

What do people think?

Citizen Voice

How would you vote on this bill?

An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.

One response per device. Location is self-reported and not verified. Results are informal and not a scientific survey.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Joy San Buenaventura2Yes
Stanley Chang9Yes
Karl Rhoads13Yes
Mike Gabbard21Absent
Brenton Awa23Yes

Bill history

  1. Pending Introduction.

  2. Introduced and passed First Reading.

  3. Referred to HWN, JDC.

  4. The committee(s) on HWN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

  5. The committee(s) on HWN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HWN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Richards, San Buenaventura, Keohokalole, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara.

  6. Reported from HWN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 207) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

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

  8. The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 9:45AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

  9. The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

  10. Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 901) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).

  11. 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25.

  12. Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

  13. Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 86) in amended form (SD 2).

  14. Pass First Reading

  15. Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19

  16. Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  17. Re-referred to JHA, referral sheet 20

  18. The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

  19. Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1748) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.

  20. Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).

  21. Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela, Marten excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.

  22. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 570).

  23. Senate disagrees with House amendments.

  24. Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 774).

  25. House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Garcia.

  26. Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 731).

  27. Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  28. House Conferee(s) discharged.

  29. Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).

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