HB2020 • 2026

RELATING TO RENEWAL OF DRIVER'S LICENSES.

Active

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

Sponsor: KILA, GRANDINETTI, ILAGAN, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, MATAYOSHI, OLDS, SAYAMA, TAKENOUCHI
Last action: 2026-04-17
Official status: Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about reporting requirements or consequences for failing the test.

Driver's License Renewal Requirements

This bill requires people renewing their driver's licenses to complete an educational course that includes watching a road safety video developed by the Department of Transportation and taking a written exam.

What This Bill Does

Requires applicants for driver's license renewal to watch a road safety video made by the Department of Transportation.
Requires applicants to take a written exam about traffic rules, signs, and laws when renewing their licenses.
Gives the Department of Transportation permission to randomly choose some people to take this test during their license renewal process.

Who It Names or Affects

People who need to renew their driver's licenses in Hawaii.

Terms To Know

Driver's License: A document that allows someone to legally drive a car or other motor vehicle on public roads.
Department of Transportation (DOT): The government agency responsible for managing transportation systems, including road safety and driver licensing.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how many people will be required to take the written test.
This law will only start in 2075, which means it won't affect anyone renewing their license before then.

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 certain driver's license renewal applicants to complete an educational course including a road safety video and written examination, and allows the Department of Transportation to randomly require additional written exams.

Driver's license renewal applicants who received a moving violation or traffic infraction in the past five years must now complete an educational course that includes watching a road safety video and passing a written exam on traffic laws and road signs.
The Department of Transportation is authorized to randomly require some renewal applicants to take additional written exams on traffic laws and road safety.

The amendment text does not specify the exact content or format of the random written examinations that may be required by the Department of Transportation.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment requires certain drivers to complete an educational course, including a road safety video and written examination, before renewing their driver's license if they have received a moving violation or traffic infraction within the past five years.

Adds a requirement for applicants with recent violations to complete an educational course that includes watching a road safety video and passing a written test on traffic laws and road signs.
Allows the Department of Transportation to randomly require some renewal applicants to take a written examination.

The amendment specifies a future effective date (July 1, 3000) which seems unusual and may be an error or placeholder.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment requires certain drivers to complete a road safety course before renewing their license if they have had a moving violation in the past five years.

Drivers who received a moving violation within the last five years must take an educational course that includes watching a road safety video and passing a written test on traffic laws and road signs.
The Department of Transportation can randomly require some drivers to take a written exam as part of their license renewal process.

It is unclear how the random selection for additional testing will be implemented by the Department of Transportation.

Bill History

2026-04-17 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).
2026-04-16 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2026-04-14 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 651) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-04-14 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 19; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 6 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCoite, DeCorte, Fevella, McKelvey, San Buenaventura). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-09 S
48 Hrs. Notice 04-14-26.
2026-04-09 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3694) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-04-01 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.
2026-03-25 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:30AM; CR 016 & Videoconference.
2026-03-23 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC.
2026-03-23 S
Reported from TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3108) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC.
2026-03-17 S
The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in TRS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-13 S
The committee(s) on TRS has rescheduled its public hearing to 03-17-26 3:00PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.
2026-03-13 S
The committee(s) on TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 3:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-03-12 S
Referred to TRS, JDC.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 343).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) 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. 1174-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos, Muraoka voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 665-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-19 H
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Miyake, Cochran, Evslin, Grandinetti, Kitagawa, La Chica, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Muraoka; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-13 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Thursday, 02-19-26 9:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO RENEWAL OF DRIVER'S LICENSES.
DOT; Traffic Safety; Driver's License; Renewal; Motor Vehicle Drivers
Requires certain applicants for driver's license renewal to complete an educational course that includes a road safety video developed by the Department of Transportation and a written examination. Authorizes the Department to develop and implement a system to randomly require applicants for renewal of a driver's license to complete a written examination. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2020

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2020

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to renewal of driver's licenses
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 286-107, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:

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"
(e)
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No driver's license shall be renewed by the
examiner of drivers unless:

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(1)
�
The
examiner of drivers is satisfied of the applicant's fitness to continue to
operate a motor vehicle;

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(2)
�
The
applicant completes an educational course that includes:

���������
(A)
�
An online road safety video
developed by the department of transportation; and

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(B)
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A written road safety examination that
tests an applicant's:

�������������
(i)
�
Ability to understand highway signs
regulating, warning, and directing traffic;

������������
(ii)
�
Knowledge of the rules of the road
based on the traffic laws of the State and the traffic ordinances of the county
where the applicant resides or intends to operate a motor vehicle, including
any changes in state traffic laws; and

�����������
(iii)
�
Any other knowledge of the rules of
the road that the department of transportation deems necessary to determine the
applicant's fitness to continue to operate a motor vehicle;

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[
(2)
]
(3)
�
The fee required by subsection (d) is tendered
together with the application for renewal;

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[
(3)
]
(4)
�
The applicant complies with section 286-102.5;
and

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[
(4)
]
(5)
�
The examiner of drivers is satisfied that the
applicant does not
have outstanding charges
and fines relating to the disposition of an abandoned vehicle
.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

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

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOT; Traffic
Safety; Driver's License; Renewal; Motor Vehicle Drivers

Description:

Requires
applicants for driver's license renewal to complete an educational course that
includes a road safety video developed by the Department of Transportation and
a written examination.

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