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SB3238Introduced in the Senate

Relating To Language Access.

Passed

Introduced by Rachele Fernandez Lamosao, District 19

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Establishes a Language Access Education and Workforce Development Program at the University of Hawaii. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Where it stands

Act 179, on 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1281).

June 26, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House votes

1 recorded vote · each counted separately

Senate votes

3 recorded votes · each counted separately

HouseStage: House Conference: Passed, With Amendments · May 1, 2026

5

Yes

0

No

0

Absent or Not Voting

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

See how each representative voted

RepresentativeDistrictVote
Jeanne Kapela5Yes
Tyson Miyake10Yes
Terez Amato11Yes
Andrew Garrett22Yes
Kanani Souza43Yes

Bill history

  1. Introduced.

  2. Passed First Reading.

  3. Referred to EDU, WAM.

  4. The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-09-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

  5. The committee(s) on EDU deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-09-26 1:05PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

  6. The committee(s) on EDU has rescheduled its public hearing to 02-18-26 1:02PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

  7. The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga.

  8. Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2613) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

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

  10. The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:56AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

  11. The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

  12. 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, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

  13. Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2757) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.

  14. One Day Notice 03-06-26.

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

  16. Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 126) in amended form (SD 1).

  17. Pass First Reading

  18. Referred to HED, FIN, referral sheet 16

  19. Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Friday, 03-13-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  20. This measure has been deleted from the meeting scheduled on Friday 03-13-26 2:00PM in conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  21. Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Monday, 03-16-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  22. The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Evslin, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Woodson, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kapela.

  23. Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1318-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

  24. Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Lowen, Perruso, Poepoe, Quinlan excused (6).

  25. Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  26. The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

  27. Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2051-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.

  28. Deferred one day 04-14-26.

  29. Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

  30. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 766).

  31. Senate disagrees with House amendments.

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

  33. Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Hashimoto Co-Chair; DeCorte.

  34. Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 718).

  35. House Conferees Appointed: Garrett, Miyake Co-Chairs; Amato, Kapela, Souza.

  36. Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 811).

  37. Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Friday, 04-24-26 2:30PM in conference room 229.

  38. Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-28-26 3:00PM in conference room 229.

  39. Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 3:00PM in conference room 229.

  40. Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 3:10PM in conference room 229.

  41. Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:15PM in Conference Room 229.

  42. Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:50PM in Conference Room 229.

  43. The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Miyake, Amato, Kapela, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

  44. The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

  45. Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 209-26).

  46. 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.

  47. Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 209-26) as amended in (CD 1).

  48. Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.

  49. Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

  50. Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.

  51. Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).

  52. Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).

  53. Enrolled to Governor.

  54. Act 179, 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1281).

  55. Act 179, on 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1281).

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