SB 2137 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.

Summary

Beginning 7/1/2027, authorizes state departments, divisions, and agencies to elect to assume hiring and recruitment functions from the Department of Human Resources Development for vacant civil service positions within that department, division, or agency under certain conditions. Requires the Department of Human Resources Development to adopt rules. Repeals existing law authorizing state departments, divisions, and agencies to conduct minimum qualification review of applicants for their vacant civil service positions. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Feb 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2137 → SB2137_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was updated from an initial introduction to its first Senate committee version (SD1), changing the sponsor from Finnley Brakke to Megan O'Brien-Rene and updating internal tracking numbers and dates. Substantively, the bill now sets a specific start date of July 1, 2027, for state agencies to assume hiring functions, and moves the effective date of the law to January 1, 2077.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on allowing state departments to manage their own hiring for vacant civil service positions, but the applicability is now tied to a specific future date of July 1, 2027.

TIMELINE

Recruitment and hiring activities are now explicitly limited to those initiated after June 30, 2027.

The effective date of the Act was changed from 'upon approval' to January 1, 2077.

TECHNICAL

The bill sponsor was changed from Finnley Brakke to Megan O'Brien-Rene, and the document type was updated to reflect the Senate committee version.

The description was updated to include the new July 1, 2027 start date and the January 1, 2077 effective date.

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

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from LBT/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2545) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Hashimoto, Moriwaki, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT/GVO has rescheduled its public hearing to 02-11-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT/GVO deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-09-26 3:00PM; CR 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT/GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-09-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Committee

Referred to LBT/GVO, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

6 primary · 0 co-sponsors