HB1531 • 2026

RELATING TO EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Active

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

Sponsor: KONG
Last action: 2026-03-12
Official status: Referred to PSM, WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effective date is set for July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and might indicate a placeholder date.

Rules for Emergency Announcements with American Sign Language Interpreters

This bill requires the Governor or mayor to provide an American Sign Language interpreter during live broadcasts of official announcements during a state of emergency and ensures that the interpreter is visible in a picture-in-picture window.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Governor or mayor to have an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter at each live broadcast press conference during a state of emergency.
Ensures, to the fullest extent possible, that the ASL interpreter's face, body, arms, and hands are visible during broadcasts.
Requires news media outlets to show the ASL interpreter in a picture-in-picture window for the entire duration of an announcement.

Who It Names or Affects

Governors and mayors during states of emergency
News media outlets broadcasting official announcements

Terms To Know

American Sign Language (ASL): A visual language used by many deaf individuals in the United States.
Picture-in-picture window: A small video feed within a larger screen that shows additional information, like an ASL interpreter.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if it is impossible to ensure the interpreter's visibility.
It only applies during declared states of emergency and may not cover all types of announcements or broadcasts.
The effective date is set for July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and might be a placeholder.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires the governor or mayor to provide an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter during live broadcasts of official announcements during a state of emergency, ensuring the interpreter's visibility and providing a primary pool feed with ASL in a picture-in-picture window.

The governor or mayor must provide an ASL interpreter at each live broadcast press conference during a declared state of emergency.
The governor or mayor must ensure that the ASL interpreter is visible throughout the broadcast, including their face, body, arms, and hands.
A primary pool feed with ASL in a picture-in-picture window must be provided for any live official announcement.

Broadcasters are not required to independently generate or insert this accessibility feature when rebroadcasting the announcements.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment requires the governor or mayor to provide an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter at live press conferences during a state of emergency, with specific visibility requirements.

The governor or mayor must provide an ASL interpreter certified by a recognized authority for each live broadcast press conference during a declared state of emergency.
The ASL interpreter must be visible in a picture-in-picture window that is at least one-quarter the size of the main video feed, ensuring clear visibility without being blocked by other elements like captions or graphics.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a placeholder for a future implementation date.
Details on how the interpreter's positioning will be ensured are not fully explained in the provided text.

Bill History

2026-03-12 S
Referred to PSM, WAM.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 240).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Hartsfield, Kahaloa, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kila, Olds, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1146-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-05 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama.
2026-03-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-05-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1).
2026-02-11 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 191-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-05 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 02-06-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-04 H
The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-06-26 11:30AM.
2026-02-02 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-04-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-30 H
The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-04-26.
2026-01-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Friday, 01-30-26 11:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-14 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Emergency; Official Announcements; Broadcast Media; American Sign Language; Sign Language Interpreter
Requires the Governor or mayor of a county, during a state of emergency, to provide an American Sign Language interpreter at each live broadcast press conference. Requires the Governor or mayor of a county to provide a primary pool feed for any live official announcement that includes an American Sign Language interpreter in a picture-in-picture window, and does not require broadcasters that rebroadcast the official announcement to independently generate or insert this accessibility feature. Requires, to the fullest extent possible, that the American Sign Language interpreter's face, body, arms, and hands are visible. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1531

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1531

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to emergency announcements
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

����
"
�127A-
�
Official announcements; proclamations;
emergencies; American Sign Language interpreter; display; requirements; picture-in-picture
required.
�
(a)
�
Whenever the governor or mayor, as
applicable, makes a proclamation pursuant to this chapter, the governor or
mayor shall provide an American Sign Language interpreter who is certified by a
nationally or state recognized credentialing authority at each live broadcast
press conference during the state of emergency.
�

To the greatest extent possible, the governor or mayor shall ensure that
the American Sign Language interpreter is physically positioned in a manner so that
the interpreter's face, body, arms, and hands are always visible during a
television or internet broadcast of the press conference.

����
(b)
�
A news media outlet that broadcasts or
rebroadcasts an official announcement made live by an elected official or head
of an emergency agency via television or the Internet shall display the
American Sign Language interpreter in an on-screen picture‑in‑picture
window for the full duration of the announcement.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

����
SECTION
3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Emergency;
Official Announcements; Broadcast Media; American Sign Language; Sign Language
Interpreter

Description:

Requires
the Governor or mayor of a county to provide an American Sign Language
interpreter during each official announcement broadcast via television or the Internet
during a state of emergency.
�
Requires
the Governor or mayor of a county to ensure, to the fullest extent possible,
that the American Sign Language interpreter's face, body, arms, and hands are
visible during the broadcast.
�
Requires a
news media outlet to display the American Sign Language interpreter in a
picture-in-picture window during broadcasts of official emergency
announcements.

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