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HB2213 • 2026

RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS.

RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS.

Active

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

Sponsor
KITAGAWA, BELATTI, EVSLIN, GARCIA, GRANDINETTI, KAHALOA, KILA, LA CHICA, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, POEPOE, TAKAYAMA, TEMPLO
Last action
2026-02-12
Official status
The committee(s) on TRN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the timing of future actions or votes, so it is unclear when this bill will be voted on and become law.

Rules for Pedestrians Crossing Streets

This bill changes Hawaii's traffic rules to require drivers to wait until a pedestrian has crossed half the crosswalk plus an additional lane before proceeding.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Hawaii's law about how drivers should behave around pedestrians in crosswalks.
  • Requires drivers to stop and stay stopped until a pedestrian crosses more than halfway across the street, including one additional lane of traffic.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Drivers who must now wait longer before passing pedestrians in crosswalks.
  • Pedestrians, especially older adults or those with limited mobility, who will be safer when crossing streets.

Terms To Know

Crosswalk
A marked area on a road where people can safely walk across the street.
Kupuna
An older person, often used to show respect for elders in Hawaiian culture.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not change any rights or duties that already existed before it was approved.
  • It is unclear when this bill will be voted on and become law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-12 H

    The committee(s) on TRN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.

  2. 2026-02-10 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Thursday, 02-12-26 8:30AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  3. 2026-01-30 H

    Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 5

  4. 2026-01-28 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  5. 2026-01-26 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PEDESTRIANS.
Pedestrians; Right-of-way in Crosswalks
Specifies that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can proceed.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2213

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2213

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to pedestrians
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that traffic
fatalities remain a serious and ongoing public safety concern in the
State.
�
In 2025, there were one hundred
twenty-nine traffic fatalities statewide, including thirty-eight fatalities
involving pedestrians, many of whom were kupuna and individuals lawfully
crossing within marked crosswalks.
�
The
legislature further finds that pedestrians, particularly kupuna and others with
limited mobility, require additional time and protection to safely cross
roadways.

����
The
legislature believes existing law does not sufficiently ensure that drivers
maintain a safe distance from pedestrians approaching from the opposite half of
the roadway or remain stopped until pedestrians have reached a position of
safety.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to strengthen pedestrian right-of-way protections to
prevent fatalities, improve driver accountability, and promote safer crosswalks
for all roadway users by specifying

that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of
the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can
proceed.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 291C-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�
The driver of a vehicle shall stop for a
pedestrian who is crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian
is either:

����
(1)
�
Upon
the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling; or

����
(2)
�
Approaching
the vehicle so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in
danger,

and
shall not proceed until the pedestrian has [
passed the vehicle
]
crossed
half of the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway
and the driver
can safely proceed.

����
For purposes of this section,
"a pedestrian who is crossing the roadway within a crosswalk" occurs
when any part or extension of the pedestrian, including any part of the
pedestrian's body, wheelchair, cane, crutch, or bicycle, is beyond the curb or
edges of the traversable roadway and moves onto the roadway within an
intersection or crosswalk."

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
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:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Pedestrians;
Right-of-way in Crosswalks

Description:

Specifies
that the driver of a vehicle must wait until a pedestrian has crossed half of
the crosswalk plus an additional lane of the roadway before the driver can
proceed.

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