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SB353Introduced in the Senate

Relating To Emergency Management.

Engrossed

Introduced by Karl Rhoads, District 13

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Amends emergency management laws to clarify state and county authority. Prohibits the Governor or Mayor from suspending requests for records or vital records and statistics during a state of emergency. Adds definition of the term "severe weather warning". Allows the Legislature and county councils to terminate a state of emergency after thirty days, in whole or in part, issued by the Governor or Mayor, respectively. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

Where it stands

Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

December 8, 2025

How did lawmakers vote?

SenateStage: Senate Judiciary: Passed, With Amendments · February 12, 2025

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?

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

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See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Joy San Buenaventura2Absent
Stanley Chang9Yes
Karl Rhoads13Yes
Mike Gabbard21Yes
Brenton Awa23Absent

Bill history

  1. Pending Introduction.

  2. Introduced and passed First Reading.

  3. Referred to PSM, JDC.

  4. The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 01-27-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

  5. The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, Fukunaga, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

  6. Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 37) 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 02-11-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

  9. The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 02-12-25 9:50AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

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

  11. Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 734) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).

  12. 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25.

  13. 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.

  14. Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 142) in amended form (SD 2).

  15. Pass First Reading

  16. Referred to PBS, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19

  17. Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 03-12-25 10:45AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  18. 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, Lamosao, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.

  19. Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1243) 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) Cochran, Holt, Iwamoto, Ward excused (4).

  21. Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-18-25 2:15PM 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: 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.

  23. Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1458) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

  24. Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5).

  25. Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-01-25 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: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.

  27. Reconsideration of action taken on Tuesday, 04-01-25.

  28. The votes in FIN were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.

  29. The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.

  30. Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1984) as amended in HD 3, recommending passage on Third Reading.

  31. Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-08-25.

  32. Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

  33. Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 643).

  34. Senate disagrees with House amendments.

  35. Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 779).

  36. Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

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