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SB2521Introduced in the Senate

Relating To Emergency Services.

Engrossed

Introduced by Ronald Kouchi, District 8

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Exempts emergency medical services personnel from commercial driver's license requirements. Requires federal, state, and county firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, and law enforcement officers to maintain proof of successful completion of agency-approved or other state-approved training on authorized emergency vehicles. Amends the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" under the State Traffic Code to replace ambulances with emergency medical services vehicles. Expands the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" to include disaster response and recovery vehicles and Department of Health vehicles. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Where it stands

Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 720).

April 22, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Judiciary: Passed, Unamended · March 3, 2026

3

Yes

0

No

2

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?

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See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Joy San Buenaventura2Absent
Stanley Chang9Absent
Karl Rhoads13Yes
Mike Gabbard21Yes
Brenton Awa23Yes

Bill history

  1. Introduced.

  2. Passed First Reading.

  3. Referred to TRS/HHS, JDC.

  4. The committee(s) on TRS/HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 1:15PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

  5. The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TRS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..

  6. The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

  7. Reported from TRS/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2278) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

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

  9. The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

  10. The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Chang, San Buenaventura.

  11. Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3029) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.

  12. One Day Notice 03-10-26.

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

  14. Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 256) in amended form (SD 1).

  15. Pass First Reading

  16. Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 17

  17. Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Thursday, 03-19-26 8:30AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

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

  19. Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1336-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

  20. 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) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2).

  21. Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-31-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  22. The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Cochran, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Sayama.

  23. Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1824-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.

  24. Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 04-10-26.

  25. Deferred one day 04-14-26.

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

  27. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 667).

  28. Senate disagrees with House amendments.

  29. Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).

  30. House Conferees Appointed: Kila, Poepoe Co-Chairs; Muraoka.

  31. Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 800).

  32. Senate Conferees Appointed: Inouye Chair; McKelvey, Rhoads Co-Chairs; Elefante.

  33. Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 720).

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