HB2236 • 2026

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Active

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

Sponsor: BELATTI, ALCOS, PERRUSO, PIERICK, POEPOE, SHIMIZU, Amato
Last action: 2026-02-18
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 none excused (0).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide specific details on how city councils manage local emergencies, only that it clarifies state and local authority during a state or local emergency.

Emergency Management Rules

This bill clarifies rules for state and local emergency management during emergencies and defines 'severe weather warning'. It also allows the Legislature to end a state of emergency declared by the governor.

What This Bill Does

Clarifies state and local authority during a state or local state of emergency.
Defines 'severe weather warning' as any public notice about dangerous conditions issued by official authorities.
Allows the Legislature to terminate a state of emergency declared by the governor.

Who It Names or Affects

Governors who declare emergencies
The Legislature, which can now terminate state emergencies

Terms To Know

Severe weather warning: A public notice about dangerous conditions issued by official authorities.
Emergency management: The process of planning and responding to emergencies to protect people and property.

Limits and Unknowns

It is unclear how often the Legislature will use its new power.
The bill does not specify what happens if there are disagreements between the governor, mayors, and local governments during an emergency.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: The amendment adds new sections to Hawaii Revised Statutes chapter 127A to clarify emergency management authority and specify limitations on suspending certain record requests during emergencies.

Adds a new section prohibiting the governor or mayor from suspending deadlines for public records and vital records requests through emergency proclamations, rules, or orders.
Defines 'severe weather warning' to include various types of warnings issued by relevant authorities that could impact Hawaii.
Amends Section 127A-13 to provide the governor with additional powers during a state of emergency, including suspending laws and regulations that impede efficient execution of emergency functions.

The amendment text is incomplete for certain sections, making it difficult to fully explain all changes.
Some parts of the amendment are unclear or truncated, such as Section 127A-13(5), which does not provide complete information.

Bill History

2026-02-18 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 none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 393-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-11 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-11-26 8:40AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-30 H
Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 5
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-26 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
Emergency Management; State of Emergency; Local State of Emergency
Clarifies state and local authority during a state or local state of emergency. Adds a definition of "severe weather warning". Allows the Legislature to terminate a state of emergency and city councils to terminate a local state of emergency. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2236

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2236

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to emergency management
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that the emergence of COVID-l9 and its variants created a
great challenge to global health, the economy, and our way of life.
�
The governor and county mayors had to
exercise their emergency powers under chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to
impose rules aimed to control the spread of COVID-l9.
�
The enforcement of those rules was critical
to efforts to limit the spread of COVID�l9, protect the health and safety of
the community, manage medical resources, and promote economic recovery.
�
The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the
importance of clear legal frameworks for state and county emergency management
to ensure that the State and counties are ready for any type of emergency.

����
The
legislature finds that chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, should clearly
specify and articulate the bases for emergency actions.
�
To that end, the purpose of this Act is to
clarify state and county emergency management authority, ensure effective and
adaptable emergency responses, and further the goals of transparency and
democratic accountability within the State's constitutional system.

����
SECTION 2.
�

Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new
section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�
127A-
�
Suspension
of certain record requests; prohibited.
�
(a)
�
The governor or mayor shall not, through any
proclamation or declaration of emergency or any rule or order adopted pursuant
to this chapter, suspend agency response deadlines for requests for:

����
(1)
�
Public records pursuant to part II
of chapter 92F; or

����
(2)
�
Vital records or statistics pursuant
to sections 338‑18.

����
(b)
�
Due to extenuating circumstances, there may
be a reasonable delay in an agency's response to a request; provided that an
agency shall not reject a request at any time, regardless of whether an
emergency has been declared.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

Section 127A-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new
definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

����
"
"
Severe weather warning" means
the issuance of a public notification by the National Weather Service, Pacific
Tsunami Warning Center, United States Geological Survey, or other public
authority, that a dangerous condition exists that could impact the State, or
any portion of it, within a specified period of time.
�
"Severe weather warning" includes
but is not limited to warnings of coastal inundation, high surf, flash
flooding, volcanic activity, a tsunami, or a hurricane.
"

����
SECTION
4
.
�
Section 127A-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�127A-13
�

Additional powers in an emergency period.
�
(a)
�
In the event of a state of emergency declared
by the governor pursuant to section 127A-14, the governor may exercise the
following additional powers pertaining to emergency management during the
emergency period:

����
(1)
�
Provide for and
require the quarantine or segregation of persons who are affected with or
believed to have been exposed to any infectious, communicable, or other disease
that is, in the governor's opinion, dangerous to the public health and safety,
or persons who are the source of other contamination, in any case where, in the
governor's opinion, the existing laws are not adequate to assure the public
health and safety; provide for the care and treatment of the persons;
supplement the provisions of sections 325-32 to 325-38 concerning compulsory
immunization programs; provide for the isolation or closing of property that is
a source of contamination or is in a dangerous condition in any case where, in
the governor's opinion, the existing laws are not adequate to assure the public
health and safety, and designate as public nuisances acts, practices, conduct,
or conditions that are dangerous to the public health or safety or to property;
authorize that public nuisances be summarily abated and, if need be, that the
property be destroyed by any police officer or authorized person, or provide
for the cleansing or repair of property, and if the cleansing or repair is to
be at the expense of the owner, the procedure therefor shall follow as nearly
as may be the provisions of section 322-2, which shall be applicable; and
further, authorize without the permission of the owners or occupants, entry on
private premises for any of these purposes;

����
(2)
�
Relieve hardships and
inequities, or obstructions to the public health, safety, or welfare, found by
the governor to exist in the laws and to result from the operation of federal
programs or measures taken under this chapter, by suspending the laws, in whole
or in part, or by alleviating [
the provisions of laws on
]
,

subject
to
terms and conditions [
as
]
that
the governor may [
impose,
]

specify, the provisions of laws,
including licensing laws, quarantine
laws, and laws relating to labels, grades, and standards;

����
(3)
�
[
Suspend
]
Except
as provided in section 127A- , suspend
any law that impedes or
tends to impede or be detrimental to the expeditious and efficient execution
of, or to conflict with, emergency functions, including laws that by this
chapter specifically are made applicable to emergency personnel;
provided
that any suspension of law shall be no broader and last no longer than the
governor deems necessary for the execution of emergency management functions,
and any suspension of law shall identify the section of law suspended and, for
each section, shall both specify the emergency management functions facilitated
and justify the suspension based on protecting the public health, safety, and
welfare; provided further that any suspension of law that requires permits,
authorizations, or approvals from any state or county agency may continue
beyond the emergency period to allow for the completion of any repairs,
reconstruction, rebuilding, or construction of any state or county
infrastructure, facilities, or properties that would otherwise be delayed by
any permit, authorization, or approval;

����
(4)
�
Suspend
the provisions of any regulatory law prescribing the procedures for
out-of-state utilities to conduct business in the State including any licensing
laws applicable to out-of-state utilities or their respective employees, as
well as any order, rule, or regulation of any state agency, if strict
compliance with the provisions of any law, order, rule, or regulation would in
any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action of a state utility in coping
with the emergency or disaster with assistance that may be provided under a
mutual assistance agreement;

����
(5)
�
In the event of disaster or
emergency beyond local control, [
or
] an event that in the opinion of the
governor[
, renders
]
makes
state operational control
or
coordination
necessary, or upon request of the [
local entity,
]
county,
and notwithstanding sections 127A-14 and 127A‑25, requires the county to
obtain the governor's approval, or the approval of the director of the Hawaii
emergency management agency, before issuing any emergency order, rule, or
proclamation under this chapter,
assume direct operational control over all
or any part of the emergency management functions within the affected area;

����
(6)
�
Shut off water mains, gas
mains, or electric power connections, or suspend other services;

����
(7)
�
Direct and control the
mandatory evacuation of the civilian population;

����
(8)
�
Exercise additional
emergency functions to the extent necessary to prevent hoarding, waste, or
destruction of materials, supplies, commodities, accommodations, facilities,
and services, to effectuate equitable distribution thereof, or to establish
priorities therein as the public welfare may require; to investigate; and
notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, to regulate or prohibit, by
means of licensing, rationing, or otherwise, the storage, transportation, use,
possession, maintenance, furnishing, sale, or distribution thereof, and any
business or any transaction related thereto;

����
(9)
�
Suspend section 8-1,
relating to state holidays, except the last paragraph relating to holidays
declared by the president, which shall remain unaffected, and in the event of
the suspension, the governor may establish state holidays by proclamation;

���
(10)
�
Adjust the hours for voting
to take into consideration the working hours of the voters during the emergency
period, and suspend those provisions of section 11-131 that fix the hours for
voting, and fix other hours by stating the same in the election proclamation or
notice, as the case may be;

���
(11)
�
Assure the continuity of
service by critical infrastructure facilities, both publicly and privately
owned, by regulating or, if necessary to the continuation of the service
thereof, by taking over and operating the same; and

���
(12)
�
Except as provided in section 134-7.2,
whenever in the governor's opinion, the laws of the State do not adequately
provide for the common defense, public health, safety, and welfare,
investigate, regulate, or prohibit the storage, transportation, use,
possession, maintenance, furnishing, sale, or distribution of, as well as any
transaction related to, explosives, firearms, and ammunition, inflammable
materials and other objects, implements, substances, businesses, or services of
a hazardous or dangerous character, or particularly capable of misuse, or
obstructive of or tending to obstruct law enforcement, emergency management, or
military operations, including intoxicating liquor and the liquor business; and
authorize the seizure and forfeiture of any objects, implements, or substances
unlawfully possessed, as provided in this chapter.

����
(b)
�
In the event of a
local state of emergency declared by the mayor pursuant to section 127A-14, the
mayor may exercise the following additional powers pertaining to emergency
management during the emergency period:

����
(1)
�
Relieve hardships and
inequities, or obstructions to the public health, safety, or welfare, found by
the mayor to exist in the laws of the county and to result from the operation
of federal programs or measures taken under this chapter, by suspending the
county laws, in whole or in part, or by alleviating [
the provisions of
county laws on
]
, subject to
terms and conditions [
as
]
that

the mayor may [
impose,
]
specify, the provisions of county laws,

including county licensing laws[
,
] and county laws relating to labels,
grades, and standards;

����
(2)
�
[
Suspend
]
Except
as provided in section 127A- , suspend
any county law that
impedes or tends to impede or be detrimental to the expeditious and efficient
execution of, or to conflict with, emergency functions, including laws that by
this chapter specifically are made applicable to emergency personnel;
provided
that any suspension of law shall be no broader and last no longer than the
mayor deems necessary for the execution of emergency management functions, and
any suspension of law shall identify the section of law suspended and, for each
section, shall both specify the emergency management functions facilitated and
justify the suspension based on protecting the public health, safety, and
welfare; provided further that any suspension of law that requires permits,
authorizations, or approvals from any state or county agency may continue
beyond the emergency period to allow for the completion of any repairs,
reconstruction, rebuilding, or construction of any state or county
infrastructure, facilities, or

properties that would otherwise be
delayed by any permit, authorization, or approval;

����
(3)
�
Shut off water mains, gas
mains, or electric power connections, or suspend other services;

����
(4)
�
Direct and control the
mandatory evacuation of the civilian population; and

����
(5)
�
Exercise additional
emergency functions, to the extent necessary to prevent hoarding, waste, or
destruction of materials, supplies, commodities, accommodations, facilities,
and services, to effectuate equitable distribution thereof, or to establish
priorities therein as the public welfare may require; to investigate; and any
other county law to the contrary notwithstanding, to regulate or prohibit, by
means of licensing, rationing, or otherwise, the storage, transportation, use,
possession, maintenance, furnishing, sale, or distribution thereof, and any
business or any transaction related thereto.
"

����
SECTION
5
.
�
Section 127A-14, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�127A-14
�
State
of emergency.
�
(a)
�
The governor may declare the existence of a
state of emergency in the State by proclamation if the governor finds that an
emergency or a disaster has occurred or that there is imminent danger or threat
of an emergency or a disaster in any portion of the State.

����
(b)
�
A mayor may declare
the existence of a local state of emergency in the county by proclamation if
the mayor finds that an emergency or a disaster has occurred or that there is
imminent danger or threat of an emergency or a disaster in any portion of the
county.

����
(c)
�
[
The
]
Except
as provided in subsections (e) and (f), the
governor or mayor shall be the
sole judge of the existence of the danger, threat, or circumstances giving rise
to a declaration, an extension, or a termination of a state of emergency in the
State or a local state of emergency in the county, as applicable.
�
This section shall not limit the power and
authority of the governor under section 127A-13(a)(5).

����
(d)
�
A state of emergency and a local state of
emergency shall terminate automatically sixty days after the issuance of a
proclamation of a state of emergency or local state of emergency, respectively,
unless extended or terminated by a separate or supplementary proclamation of
the governor or mayor.
�
The
governor or mayor shall proclaim the termination of a state of emergency or
local state of emergency, respectively, at the earliest possible date that
conditions warrant.

����
(e)
�
The legislature may, by an affirmative vote
of two-thirds of the members to which each house is entitled, terminate a state
of emergency, in part or in whole, declared by the governor pursuant to this
section.

����
(f)
�
The county council may, by an affirmative
vote of two-thirds, terminate a local state of emergency, in part or in whole,
declared by the mayor pursuant to this section.
"

����
SECTION 6.
�

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

����
SECTION 7.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Emergency
Management; State of Emergency; Local State of Emergency

Description:

Clarifies
State and local authority during a state or local state of emergency.
�
Adds definition of "severe weather warning".
�
Allows the Legislature to terminate a state
of emergency and city councils to terminate a local state of emergency.
�

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