HB 1863 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO AN HONORARY AMBASSADOR TO CANADA.

Summary

Establishes an Honorary Ambassador to Canada position within the Business Development and Support Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1863_HD1 → HB1863_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a House Draft to a Senate Draft, updating internal tracking numbers and dates. The most significant substantive change is the extension of the bill's effective date from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 3050, likely to align with a future fiscal cycle or correct a clerical error. The text also clarifies the department's name and adds a specific provision ensuring the appointment exemption from chapter 76 does not expire.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on establishing an honorary ambassador to Canada, but the applicability timeline has been extended by 50 years.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 3050.

DEFINITION

The department name was updated to explicitly include 'tourism' in the full title.

REQUIREMENT

A new clause was added to ensure the exemption from chapter 76 regarding the appointment does not expire.

TECHNICAL

Internal bill tracking numbers, author names, and revision dates were updated to reflect the Senate Draft version.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from EDT/WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3310) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao, DeCorte.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:15PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to EDT/WLA, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 58).

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

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; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 413-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors