RELATING TO LICENSING.
Summary
Removes the barrier that requires applicants for professional or vocational licensing to be United States citizens, United States nationals, or persons with work visas. Allows an applicant to provide the applicant's individual tax identification number with a sworn affidavit in lieu of social security numbers when the applicant does not have a social security number. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 23, 2026
Last action Feb 20, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
HB1849
→
HB1849_HD1
·
3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to clarify that applicants for professional or vocational licenses can provide an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) with a sworn affidavit instead of a Social Security Number if they do not have one. It also removes the requirement for applicants to be U.S. citizens, nationals, or visa holders, allowing non-citizens to apply for licensure as long as they meet other state requirements.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include non-citizen applicants who previously were barred from obtaining professional or vocational licenses in Hawaii.
ELIGIBILITY
Removed the requirement that applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or authorized aliens to work in the U.S.
REQUIREMENT
Updated the application process to allow applicants without a Social Security Number to submit an ITIN and a sworn affidavit instead.
Revised the list of required application information to reflect the new ITIN option and removed the specific citizenship verification requirement.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
7
Key actions
1
Committee
3
Feb 20, 2026
Committee
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 677-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Pierick; and Excused: none.
lower
Jan 26, 2026
Committee
Referred to CPC, JHA, referral sheet 2
lower
Jan 26, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
lower
Jan 23, 2026
Introduced
Pending introduction.
lower
8 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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