SB 2151 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Summary

Clarifies state and local authority during a state or local state of emergency. Clarifies and limits the suspension of laws and access to records during an emergency. Defines "catastrophic harm" and "severe weather warning". Amends the definitions of "disaster" and "emergency" under emergency management laws. Allows the Legislature to terminate a state of emergency and county councils to terminate a local state of emergency. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Apr 16, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2151_SD1 → SB2151_SD2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to update the legislative session number from the 33rd to the 34th and change the effective date from 2026 to 2075, likely a placeholder error. The core policy changes include clarifying the legislative intent to limit emergency powers to sudden events causing catastrophic harm, correcting a typo in the section header, and changing the authority to terminate a local state of emergency from city councils to county councils.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding who can terminate a local state of emergency was expanded or clarified by changing the authority from city councils to county councils.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from February 2026 to March 22, 2075.

SCOPE

The authority to terminate a local state of emergency was changed from city councils to county councils.

DEFINITION

The definitions of 'disaster' and 'emergency' were modified to explicitly limit their use to sudden events that cause catastrophic harm or immediate danger.

TECHNICAL

The legislative session number was updated from the 33rd Legislature to the 34th Legislature.

A typo in the section header was corrected from 'SECTION 3' to 'SECTION 3'.

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

Amendments

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 632).

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama, Cochran.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1563-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Woodson; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Souza; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa, Poepoe.

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 182) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Gabbard. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-24-26 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Committee

Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2131) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Inouye, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto.

upper

Jan 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Committee

Referred to PSM, JDC.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

4 primary · 1 co-sponsor