RELATING TO EMERGENCY SERVICES.

Healthcare Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: 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) Quinlan excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of July 1, 3000, seems to be a placeholder and needs clarification.

Emergency Services Personnel Exemption from Commercial Driver's License

This bill exempts emergency medical services personnel from needing commercial driver's licenses and expands the definition of 'authorized emergency vehicle' to include more types of vehicles used in emergencies.

What This Bill Does

Exempts emergency medical service workers from getting a commercial driver's license when they drive certain vehicles for their job.
Changes the list of what counts as an 'authorized emergency vehicle' under the State Traffic Code to add new kinds like disaster response and recovery vehicles, Department of Health-approved vehicles, and those marked by state or local emergency management agencies.

Who It Names or Affects

Emergency medical service workers who drive commercial motor vehicles as part of their job.
People involved in disaster response and recovery efforts using designated vehicles.

Terms To Know

Commercial Driver's License: A special license needed to drive large trucks or buses that carry goods or people for business purposes.
Authorized Emergency Vehicle: A vehicle officially recognized by the state as being used in emergency situations, such as ambulances and fire trucks.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how exemptions will be granted or enforced.
It is unclear what specific training requirements will remain for these personnel after the exemption.
The effective date of July 1, 3000, seems to be a placeholder and needs clarification.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment exempts emergency medical services personnel from needing commercial driver's licenses and expands the definition of 'authorized emergency vehicle' to include various types of vehicles used in disaster response and recovery.

Emergency medical services personnel are exempted from obtaining commercial driver's licenses, similar to other first responders.
The definition of 'authorized emergency vehicle' is expanded to include emergency medical services vehicles, disaster response and recovery vehicles, Department of Health-approved vehicles, and those designated as emergency vehicles by the state or an emergency management agency.

The amendment specifies that these changes will take effect on July 1, 3000, which seems to be a placeholder date and not intended for actual implementation.

Bill History

2026-02-20 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) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 658-26) 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, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 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 EMERGENCY SERVICES.
City and County of Honolulu Mayor's Package; Commercial Driver's License Exemption; Emergency Medical Services Personnel; Authorized Emergency Vehicles
Exempts emergency medical services personnel from commercial driver's license requirements. Expands the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" under the State Traffic Code to replace ambulances with emergency medical services vehicles, and include disaster response and recovery vehicles, Department of Health-approved vehicles, and vehicles designated as emergency vehicles by the State or an emergency management agency. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2059

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2059

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO EMERGENCY SERVICES
.

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

����
SECTION 1.

�
The legislature understands that requiring
first responders to obtain commercial driver's licenses to operate authorized
commercial vehicles is not in the best interest of public safety, because first
responders receive training provided by federal, state, and county government
agencies that would satisfy this requirement.
�
Imposing this requirement would only serve to
create an administrative hurdle for first responders and hinder the performance
of their vital public safety functions.

����
The
legislature finds that although emergency medical service personnel, who may be
assigned to operate vehicles which are classified as commercial motor vehicles
in the performance of essential public safety functions, receive the same
levels of rigorous training, they are still required to obtain commercial
driver's licenses, which slows down hiring, raises costs, and creates
administrative hurdles for emergency medical services departments across the State.

����
The
legislature further finds that exempting qualified emergency medical services
personnel from commercial driver's license requirements may help to alleviate
barriers to recruitment and retention, and streamline essential functions,
while maintaining public safety standards.

����
The
legislature also finds that the current definition for "authorized
emergency vehicle" in the Hawaii Revised Statutes is insufficient, in that
it does not include alternative emergency service vehicles utilized by
emergency medical service departments in the State.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Exempt emergency medical services personnel
from commercial driver's license requirements, similar to other licensed first
responders operating in the State; and

����
(2)
�
Amend the definition of "authorized
emergency vehicle" in section 291C-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to clarify
that all vehicles operated by licensed emergency services personnel, not just
ambulances, are included in the definition.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 286-235.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�286-235.5
�
Persons exempt from licensure.
�
The following persons shall be exempt from
licensure under this part:

����
(1)
�
Individuals who operate commercial motor
vehicles for military purposes.
�
This
exception is limited to active-duty military personnel, members of the military
reserves, members of the national guard on active duty, including personnel on
full-time national guard duty, personnel on part-time national guard training,
and national guard military technicians (civilians who are required to wear
military uniforms), and active-duty United States Coast Guard personnel.
�
This exception is not applicable to
United States

reserve technicians; and

����
(2)
�
Federal, state, and county firefighters,
emergency
services personnel,
and law enforcement officers who drive federal, state,
or county fire trucks, including fire pumpers, aerial ladder trucks, and
elevated platform trucks, or authorized emergency vehicles; provided that they
are trained by the federal, state, or county government and the commercial
motor vehicles are equipped with audible and visual signals and are not subject
to normal traffic regulation.
�
For
purposes of this paragraph, "authorized emergency vehicle" shall have
the same meaning as in section 291C-1."

����
SECTION
3
.
�
Section 291C-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending the definition of "authorized emergency vehicle"
to read as follows:

����
"
"Authorized emergency
vehicle" includes fire department vehicles, police vehicles, [
ambulances,
]

emergency medical services vehicles,
ocean safety vehicles, law
enforcement vehicles, conservation and resources enforcement vehicles, and
office of the state fire marshal vehicles authorized and approved pursuant to
section 291-31.5 that are publicly owned and other publicly or privately owned
vehicles designated as such by a county council."

����
SECTION
4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

City and
County of Honolulu Mayor's Package; Commercial Driver's License Exemption;
Emergency Medical Services Personnel; Authorized Emergency Vehicle

Description:

Exempts
emergency medical services personnel from commercial driver's license
requirements.
�
Amends the definition of "authorized
emergency vehicle" under State Traffic Code to replace ambulances with
emergency medical services vehicles.

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