RELATING TO AN HONORARY AMBASSADOR TO CANADA.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: QUINLAN, AMATO
Last action: 2026-03-30
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the Governor will appoint the Honorary Ambassador.

Honorary Ambassador to Canada

This bill establishes an Honorary Ambassador to Canada position within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in Hawaii and provides funding for it.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a position called Honorary Ambassador to Canada within the Business Development and Support Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT).
Sets a four-year term for the Honorary Ambassador to Canada.
Provides funding from state money for one full-time equivalent position in fiscal year 2026-2027.

Who It Names or Affects

The Governor of Hawaii, who will appoint the Honorary Ambassador.
The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT), which will manage the position.
People in Hawaii and Canada involved in economic, cultural, and business relations.

Terms To Know

Honorary Ambassador: A person appointed to represent a state or organization in another country without official diplomatic status but with special duties related to culture, economy, and business.
Fiscal Year: The period of time used for budgeting and financial reporting by governments and organizations, typically running from July 1st to June 30th.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact duties or responsibilities of the Honorary Ambassador beyond promoting relations between Hawaii and Canada.
It is unclear how many people will be affected by this position outside of those directly involved in its creation and management.
The effective date listed as July 1, 2050, seems to be a placeholder or error.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment creates a new position called Honorary Ambassador to Canada within the Business Development and Support Division, sets a four-year term for the position, and provides funding for it.

Establishes a position of Honorary Ambassador to Canada in the Business Development and Support Division.
Sets the term of the Honorary Ambassador to Canada at four years.
Appoints the Honorary Ambassador by the governor without regard to certain hiring rules.
Allocates funds from general revenues for fiscal year 2026-2027 to support this position.

The effective date of July 1, 3000, is extremely far in the future and seems unusual.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment establishes a position of Honorary Ambassador to Canada within the Business Development and Support Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, with funding appropriated for fiscal year 2026-2027.

Adds a new section in Chapter 201 of Hawaii Revised Statutes to establish an Honorary Ambassador to Canada position within the specified division.
Specifies that the term of the honorary ambassador is four years and outlines the appointment process by the governor without regard to certain state hiring regulations.
Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal year 2026-2027 to support this new position.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3050, which seems unusually far in the future and may be a typographical error or have another intended meaning not clear from the provided text.

Bill History

2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from EDT/WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3310) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao, DeCorte.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fukunaga; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kim, Fevella.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on EDT/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:15PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to EDT/WLA, WAM.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 58).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 775-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-02 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 03-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 413-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-13 H
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Friday, 02-13-26 8:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 2
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO AN HONORARY AMBASSADOR TO CANADA.
DBEDT; Honorary Ambassador to Canada; Appropriation ($)
Establishes an Honorary Ambassador to Canada position within the Business Development and Support Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1863

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1863

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to an honorary ambassador to canada
.

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

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SECTION
1.
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Chapter 201, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:

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"
�201-
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Honorary ambassador to Canada;
appointment; term.
�
(a)
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There is established within the business development and support
division of the department a position of honorary ambassador to Canada.
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The honorary ambassador to Canada shall
promote economic, cultural, and business relations between the State and
Canada.

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(b)
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The term of the honorary ambassador to Canada shall be four years.

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(c)
�

The honorary ambassador to Canada shall be appointed by the governor
without regard to chapter 76.
"

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SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund one full-time
equivalent (1.0 FTE) honorary ambassador to Canada position within the business
development and support division of the department of business, economic
development, and tourism.

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The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic
development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION
3.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

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SECTION 4.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Honorary
Ambassador to Canada; DBEDT; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
an honorary ambassador to Canada position within the Business Development and
Support Division of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and
Tourism.
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Appropriates funds.

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