SB 2661 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO NEPOTISM.

Summary

Subjects all nominated, appointed, or elected officers and employees of the State, including members of boards, commissions, and committees; individuals under contract to the State or constitutional convention; and legislators, delegates to a constitutional convention, and justices and judges, and their respective employees, to nepotism prohibitions in the State's Code of Ethics. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2661_HD1 → SB2661_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to remove exemptions for legislators and judges from state nepotism rules, while simultaneously narrowing the definition of 'employee' to exclude elected officials. The changes clarify that the law targets only legislative and judicial employees, not the officials themselves, and shifts the effective date from a distant future to immediate approval.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed to apply only to employees of the legislative and judicial branches, explicitly removing elected legislators, delegates, judges, and justices from the nepotism prohibitions.

SCOPE

Removed language subjecting legislators, delegates, judges, and justices to nepotism prohibitions.

DEFINITION

Modified the definition of 'employee' to exclude elected officers and delegates to a constitutional convention.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the purpose statement to reflect that the Act applies only to employees rather than all officers and employees.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 3000, to upon approval of the bill.

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

Committee

Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1494-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 23, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Kahaloa, Morikawa, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan.

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to LMG, JHA, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 276) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).

upper

Feb 20, 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, Gabbard, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang.

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Committee

Re-Referred to JDC.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to GVO, JDC.

upper

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

6 primary · 1 co-sponsor