HB2180 • 2026

RELATING TO VOTING BOARDS.

Budget Elections Technology

Active

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

Sponsor: REYES ODA, COCHRAN, GARCIA, IWAMOTO, MATSUMOTO, MURAOKA, POEPOE, SHIMIZU, TAKENOUCHI, TEMPLO
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on funding or consequences if the study finds that implementing electronic voting boards isn't feasible.

Study on Electronic Voting Boards

This bill requires the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) to conduct a feasibility study about implementing electronic voting boards in both chambers of the Hawaii State Capitol and submit a report by December 1, 2026.

What This Bill Does

Requires LRB to conduct a feasibility study on electronic voting boards for both chambers of the Hawaii State Capitol.
The study must examine different types of technology available, costs involved in installation, operation, and maintenance, the feasibility of retrofitting existing equipment, and the time needed to implement an electronic voting board system.
LRB is required to submit a report with findings and recommendations by December 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

The Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) will be responsible for conducting this study.
Both chambers of the Hawaii State Legislature will receive information from the study's results.

Terms To Know

Legislative Reference Bureau: An agency that provides research and support services to the legislature, including conducting studies as requested by lawmakers.
Feasibility Study: A study done to determine if a project or idea is practical and worth pursuing based on factors like cost, time, and resources.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money will be given for the study.
It only requires a feasibility study; it doesn't say whether electronic voting boards will actually be installed after the report is done.
There's no information on what happens if the study finds that implementing electronic voting boards isn't feasible.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment appropriates funds from the state's general revenues to implement an electronic voting board system in the House of Representatives chamber.

Appropriates funds from the state’s general revenues for fiscal year 2026-2027 to install an electronic voting board system in the House of Representatives.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified.
The effective date listed (July 1, 3000) seems incorrect and likely contains a typographical error.

Bill History

2026-02-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 608-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-18 H
The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ichiyama, Kahaloa, Morikawa, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-13 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LMG on Wednesday, 02-18-26 2:00PM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-08 H
This measure has been deleted from the meeting scheduled on Monday 02-09-26 2:00PM in conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-04 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LMG on Monday, 02-09-26 2:00PM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-30 H
Referred to LMG, FIN, referral sheet 5
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-26 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO VOTING BOARDS.
Voting; Electronic Voting Board; House of Representatives; Appropriation
Appropriates funds to implement an electronic voting board system in the chamber of the House of Representatives. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2180

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2180

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

rELATING
TO VOTING BOARDS
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the use of
voting boards and electronic voting systems are incredibly common among state
legislatures.
�
The National Conference of
State Legislatures found that nearly two-thirds of states have implemented
electronic voting systems.
�
The Wisconsin
Assembly (1917), the Texas House (1919) and the Virginia House (1923) were the
first chambers to install electronic voting systems, but almost half the
legislative assemblies had such systems in place by 1980.
�
Although many voting systems are more than ten
years old, one trend that has been noticeable for several years is the
willingness of state legislatures to upgrade their voting systems.
�
Upgrades have been made in more than forty per
cent of the chambers since 1990.

����
In 2008,
the Wyoming legislature conducted a study about various voting methods in the
legislature.
�
The study found that there
are many different options to produce an electronic voting board, such as
through hard-wired display boards, projection screens, plasma screens, video
monitors, or screens that blend into the background when not in use.
�
The Hawaii State Legislature's Chambers are already
equipped with a projector which creates one option for how transparent
electronic voting could be displayed with little cost and no large renovations
required.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to have LRB conduct a feasibility study on electronic
voting boards for both chambers of the Hawaii State Capitol.

����
SECTION
2.
�
(a)
�

The legislative reference bureau shall conduct a feasibility study that
includes the costs associated with the implementation of an electronic voting
board in both chambers of the legislature.
�

The study shall examine:

����
(1)
�
The type of electronic voting board technology
available;

����
(2)
�
The costs associated with installing,
operating, and maintaining equipment in both chambers;

����
(3)
�
The feasibility of retrofitting existing
technology installed in the chambers; and

����
(4)
�
The amount of time needed to implement an
electronic voting board system.

����
(b)
�
The legislative reference bureau shall submit
a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed
legislation, to the legislature no later than December 1, 2026.

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

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Voting;
LRB Study; Electronic Voting Board

Description:

Requires
LRB to conduct a feasibility study associated with the implementation of an
electronic voting board in both chambers of the legislature and submit a report
of its findings and recommendations to the legislature.

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