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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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HB157 • 2026

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Housing
Active

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

Sponsor
GARCIA
Last action
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide information on the consequences if the road transfer is not completed by January 1, 2026.

Road Transfer and Traffic Enforcement

This bill requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to transfer public roads in Kapolei to the City and County of Honolulu by January 1, 2026, and allows county police officers to enforce statewide traffic laws on all public streets.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to transfer public roads within the Villages of Kapolei to the City and County of Honolulu by January 1, 2026.
  • Authorizes county police officers to enforce statewide traffic laws on all public streets, roadways, and highways in the state.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation
  • City and County of Honolulu
  • County police officers in the State of Hawaii

Terms To Know

Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC)
A state agency responsible for housing development projects.
Villages of Kapolei
A planned community in Hawaii where the roads are currently managed by HHFDC but will be transferred to Honolulu's city government.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the road transfer is not completed by January 1, 2026.
  • It is unclear how this change in traffic enforcement authority will affect existing police jurisdictions and responsibilities.

Amendments

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

HD1

1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires the transfer of roads in the Villages of Kapolei to Honolulu by January 1, 2026, and allows county police officers to enforce statewide traffic laws on all public streets.

  • Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to transfer the roads within the Villages of Kapolei to the City and County of Honolulu by January 1, 2026.
  • Allows county police officers to enforce the statewide traffic code on all public streets, roadways, and highways in the state.
  • The effective date of July 1, 3000, is likely a placeholder or error since it does not make practical sense for an immediate implementation.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-02-04 H

    Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Amato, Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Ward excused (3).

  3. 2025-02-04 H

    Reported from HSG/TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 142) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

  4. 2025-01-30 H

    The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Evslin, Kitagawa, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, La Chica.

  5. 2025-01-30 H

    The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, La Chica.

  6. 2025-01-27 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG/TRN on Thursday, 01-30-25 9:50AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  7. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to HSG/TRN, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1

  8. 2025-01-16 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  9. 2025-01-14 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.
Villages of Kapolei; Road Transfer; City and County of Honolulu; HHFDC; Statewide Traffic Code
Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to transfer the public roads of the Villages of Kapolei to the City and County of Honolulu by 1/1/2026. Authorizes county police officers to enforce the statewide traffic code on all public streets, roadways, and highways within the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB157

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

157

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to transportation
.

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

PART I

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the roads
within the Villages of Kapolei, which were constructed by the Hawaii housing
finance and development corporation during the 1990s, were supposed to be
transferred to the city and county of Honolulu, but the transfer process has
stalled for decades due to the city and county of Honolulu establishing certain
requirements for accepting the dedication.

����
The
purpose of this part is to require the Hawaii housing finance and development
corporation and the city and county of Honolulu to complete the transfer of the
Villages of Kapolei roads.

����
SECTION
2.
�
(a)
�

The Hawaii housing finance and development corporation and the city and
county of Honolulu shall enter into an agreement for the transfer of the roads
within the Villages of Kapolei to the city and county of Honolulu.

����
(b)
�
The roads shall be transferred no later than
January 1, 2026.

PART II

����
SECTION
3.
�
The purpose of this part is to
authorize county police officers to be able to enforce the statewide traffic
code on all public streets, roadways, and highways within the State.

����
SECTION 4.
�
Chapter 291C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to
read as follows:

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"
�291C-
��
��
County
police officer authority.
�
�
Each
police officer of a county shall have the authority to enforce this chapter for
any violation of this chapter that occurs on any federal, state, and county street,
roadway, or highway.
"

����
SECTION
5.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

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SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Villages of Kapolei; Road Transfer; City and County of
Honolulu; HHFDC; Statewide Traffic Code

Description:

Requires
the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to transfer the public
roads of the
Villages of Kapolei to the City and County of Honolulu by
January 1, 2026.
�
Authorizes county
police officers to enforce the statewide traffic code on all public streets,
roadways, and highways within the State.

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