HB 2059 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO EMERGENCY SERVICES.

Summary

Exempts emergency medical services personnel from commercial driver's license requirements. Expands the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" under the State Traffic Code to replace ambulances with emergency medical services vehicles, and include disaster response and recovery vehicles, Department of Health-approved vehicles, and vehicles designated as emergency vehicles by the State or an emergency management agency. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Healthcare ✓ Transportation

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

HB2059 → HB2059_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill expands exemptions from commercial driver's license requirements to include a broader range of emergency vehicles beyond just ambulances, such as disaster response and Department of Health vehicles. It also adds a new training verification requirement for government agencies using these vehicles and sets a future effective date of July 1, 3000.

Scope change

The bill significantly broadens the scope of vehicles exempt from CDL requirements to include disaster response and recovery vehicles, Department of Health-approved vehicles, and vehicles designated by state or emergency management agencies, in addition to existing emergency medical services vehicles.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded eligibility for CDL exemptions to include disaster response and recovery vehicles, Department of Health vehicles, and vehicles designated by state or emergency management agencies.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for federal, state, and county agencies to maintain proof that personnel have completed approved training on operating authorized emergency vehicles.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from immediate approval to July 1, 3000.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 658-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Miyake, Cochran, Evslin, Grandinetti, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors