HB 226 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO WINDSHIELD TINTING.

Summary
Prohibits a person from installing, mounting, adhering, affixing, or using any sun screening device in conjunction with the glazing material of a motor vehicle with mirrored or high reflective finishes that produce a red, yellow, amber, or blue appearances from the exterior. Requires all drivers and passengers of motor vehicles with applied tint to fully roll down their windows when stopped by a law enforcement officer at a traffic stop, with certain exceptions. Clarifies the light transmittance levels on sun screening devices used in conjunction with glazing material for front side windows and wing windows. Exempts rear windows, including rear windshields on certain vehicles, and side windows to the rear of the driver on sedans from sun screening device requirements. Increases the minimum and maximum fines for violating sun screening device requirements. Specifies that failure of an installer to issue a required certificate to be a violation of sun screening device requirements. Makes the absence of the required certificate in a vehicle prima facie evidence that an installer is noncompliant with the law. (CD1)
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Signed May 29, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB226_HD3 HB226_SD1 · 6 edits
MODERATE
This bill updates Hawaii's windshield tinting laws to address climate change by allowing darker tints that reduce heat buildup in vehicles. The changes include removing the ban on certain colored tints, clarifying exemptions for specific vehicle windows, and increasing fines for violations.
Scope change
The bill expands permitted tint colors and clarifies which vehicle windows can be tinted, while maintaining restrictions on mirrored and metallic tints.
REQUIREMENT

Removed the prohibition on red, yellow, amber, and blue tinted windows, allowing these colors that were previously banned.

Changed the requirement for drivers to roll down windows at traffic stops from a general rule to an exception that applies only when tint is used.

Added new requirement for installers to provide certificates of compliance and store them in vehicles.

Updated exemptions to clarify which vehicle windows are exempt from tinting requirements based on vehicle type and driving visibility needs.

ENFORCEMENT

Increased fines for vehicle owners from $250-$550 to $300-$550 and for installers from $700-$1,200.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 3000, likely a placeholder error.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
54
Key actions
19
Committee
21
Amendments
3
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Souza voting no (2) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 21; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 4 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella, McKelvey). Excused, 0 (none).
upper
Apr 24, 2025
Introduced
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25
upper
Apr 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 81).
upper
Apr 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 81) as amended in (CD 1).
lower
Apr 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Matayoshi, Tarnas, Grandinetti; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.
lower
Apr 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
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) Lee, C., Keohokalole, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang.
upper
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-23-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 329.
upper
Apr 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-22-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 329.
upper
Apr 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Monday, 04-21-25 9:00AM in conference room 329.
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Amended
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Introduced
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 604) in amended form (SD 1).
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 21; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 4 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella, McKelvey). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
upper
Mar 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
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, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.
upper
Mar 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-28-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
upper
Mar 21, 2025
Committee
Reported from TCA/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1305) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey, Richards.
upper
Mar 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Elefante, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye.
upper
Mar 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on TCA/CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-14-25 9:32AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to TCA/CPN, JDC.
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Introduced
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 200).
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Souza voting no (2) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
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.
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Committee
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Committee
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 777) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Kong, Marten, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Lowen, Tam.
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Committee
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 111) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Evslin, Kitagawa, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, La Chica.
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to TRN, CPC, JHA, referral sheet 1
lower
Jan 17, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Introduced
Pending introduction.
lower
5 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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