SB 2453 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO VOTING.

Summary

Requires the Office of Elections to include a notice to voters that a digital and print voter information guide is available. Requires the notice to be in thirty-two-point font and enclosed as a separate insert with each ballot. Requires the Office of Elections to maintain a notice on its website providing certain information about the voter information guide. Requires the Office of Elections to make the digital voter information guide available to the public no later than twenty-one days before the primary election and no later than fifty days before the general election. Appropriates funds. Effective 3/22/2075. (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 22, 2026 Last action Feb 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2453 → SB2453_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to transition from a Senate version to a House version, updating the bill number and associated metadata. The most significant substantive change is the effective date, which was moved from July 1, 2026, to March 22, 2075, likely a clerical error intended to be 2026. Additionally, the funding appropriation section was modified to use blank spaces instead of a specific dollar amount for the budget allocation.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on voting procedures and funding, but the effective date change drastically alters when the new rules regarding mail ballot instruction sheets will apply.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2026, to March 22, 2075.

FISCAL

The specific dollar amount for the $90,000 appropriation was replaced with blank spaces in the text.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was updated to reflect the House version (SD1) and associated metadata fields were changed to match the new 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

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2468) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to JDC, WAM.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors