HB1522 • 2026

RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: TARNAS, AMATO, GRANDINETTI, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, KITAGAWA, MARTEN, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SAYAMA, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAM
Last action: 2026-03-12
Official status: Referred to JDC.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date provided in the official summary is July 1, 3000, which appears to be an error.

Extending Time to File Discrimination Complaints

This bill changes the time limit from six months to one year for people in Hawaii to file a discrimination complaint with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law so that people have more time to report discrimination.
Extends the deadline for filing complaints about unfair treatment from six months to one year.

Who It Names or Affects

People who experience discrimination in Hawaii
The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission

Terms To Know

Statute of Limitations: A rule that sets a time limit for filing a legal complaint or lawsuit.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill does not change the rules about what kind of discrimination is illegal.
The new law will start on July 1, 3000 (this seems to be an error in the source material).

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes the time limit for filing discrimination complaints with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission from six months to one year.

Extends the statute of limitations for filing complaints about unlawful discriminatory practices with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission from 180 days (six months) to one year.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder or error in the text provided.

Bill History

2026-03-12 S
Referred to JDC.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 238).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1).
2026-03-05 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 905-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-10 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-10-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-14 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.
Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; Anti-discrimination; Statute of Limitations
Lengthens the statute of limitations to file a complaint of discrimination with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to one year. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1522

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1522

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to discrimination
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that Hawaii has
a strong, historic commitment to civil rights.
�

The legislature further finds that the extension to the statute of
limitations provided by this Act would ensure that individuals in Hawaii have greater
access to civil-rights protections that reflect the community values of the
State: fairness, dignity, and inclusion.
�

The legislature also finds that this extension allows individuals with a
more reasonable timeframe to recognize, report, and seek redress for unlawful
discrimination under Hawaii state law.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to extend the statute of limitations for filing
complaints with the Hawaii civil rights commission to one year.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 368-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

����
"
(c)
�

No complaint shall be filed after the expiration of [
one hundred
eighty days
]
one year
after the date:

����
(1)
�
Upon
which the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred; or

����
(2)
�
Of
the last occurrence in a pattern of ongoing discriminatory practice.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; Anti-discrimination;

Statute of Limitations

Description:

Lengthens
the statute of limitations to file a complaint of discrimination with the
Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to one year.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.