SB 3251 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Summary

Prohibits the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Taxation, and Department of the Attorney General from appointing or employing certain former United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Border Patrol agents and employees as law enforcement officers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 28, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB3251_SD1 → SB3251_SD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the legislative metadata to reflect a new draft version and revises the effective date for employment restrictions on former federal immigration agents. The most significant policy change is the shift in the ban's trigger date from June 30, 2026, to a future window ending December 31, 2028, while simultaneously adding a specific requirement that the applicant must have worked more than 90 days during that period to be banned. Additionally, the text corrects a factual error regarding the age of a child in a cited immigration case.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding prohibited employment has been narrowed and delayed; it now only applies to individuals who meet a specific duration threshold (more than 90 days) of work with federal immigration agencies within a defined future timeframe, rather than applying broadly to anyone with any history of employment after a specific date.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the employment ban was changed from June 30, 2026, to a future period ending December 31, 2028.

ELIGIBILITY

The ban now specifically targets individuals who worked more than 90 days cumulatively for federal immigration agencies between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028, rather than anyone with any employment history after June 30, 2026.

TECHNICAL

The bill header and metadata were updated to reflect the new draft version (SD2) with revised dates and version numbers.

A factual error in the bill's background section was corrected, changing a child's age from nine to eight in a cited case.

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

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Reyes Oda, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (6) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1459-26), recommending referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kong, Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1271-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam, Templo, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Gedeon; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to ECD, LAB, JHA, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 391) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Keohokalole, Kim, McKelvey, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). 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, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) San Buenaventura ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-05-26 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from PSM/LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2530) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Moriwaki ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara.

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM/LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to PSM/LBT, JDC.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

4 primary · 3 co-sponsors