HB229 • 2026

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Education

Active

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

Sponsor: KILA, LAMOSAO, MIYAKE, Chun
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about towing vehicles that are not supported by the official source material.

Speed Limits for Certain Vehicles

This bill sets speed restrictions for large vehicles in Hawaii.

What This Bill Does

Limits the speed of motor vehicles with three or more axles to no more than five miles per hour below the posted limit.
Limits the speed of heavy vehicles weighing over ten thousand pounds, except school and public buses, to no more than five miles per hour below the posted limit.

Who It Names or Affects

Drivers of large vehicles in Hawaii
State and county transportation authorities

Terms To Know

Federal Highway Administration vehicle category classification: A system used by the Federal Highway Administration to classify different types of vehicles based on their size and weight.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how it will be enforced or what penalties might apply.
It is unclear if there are any exemptions for emergency vehicles or other special cases.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment sets speed limits for heavy vehicles in counties with a population of at least 500,000 and allows smaller counties to create their own rules.

Adds new restrictions on the speeds that large trucks or heavy vehicles can drive in certain areas based on county population size.
Specifies fines ranging from $150 for first-time offenders to up to $350 for repeat offenses within two years.

The effective date of July 1, 3000 is likely a placeholder and not intended as the actual implementation date.
Details about how smaller counties will adopt their own ordinances are not provided in this amendment text.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: Hawaii published version SD1 3

This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.
The official amendment text was available, but an easy plain-English summary could not be produced automatically during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-03-21 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2025-03-21 S
Reported from TCA/EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1344) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2025-03-20 S
The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2025-03-20 S
The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-03-18 S
The committee(s) on TCA deferred the measure until 03-20-25 3:02PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
2025-03-18 S
The committee(s) on EIG deferred the measure until 03-20-25 3:02PM; CR 016 & Videoconference.
2025-03-13 S
The committee(s) on EIG deferred the measure until 03-18-25 3:02PM; CR 016 & Videoconference.
2025-03-13 S
The committee(s) on TCA deferred the measure until 03-18-25 3:02PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
2025-03-10 S
The committee(s) on TCA/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 03-13-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to TCA/EIG, JDC.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 201).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Shimizu, Souza voting no (4) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1159), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-26 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Kahaloa.
2025-02-21 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 02-26-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-11 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 381) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2025-02-06 H
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Cochran, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick.
2025-02-04 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Thursday, 02-06-25 10:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 1
2025-01-17 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-16 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.
Traffic Code; Oversized Commercial Vehicles; Towing; Restrictions; Penalties
Restricts motor vehicles that tow a motor vehicle or trailer from the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes going in the same direction with exemptions. Specifies penalties for restricted motor vehicles who drive in the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes moving in the same direction. Applies restrictions and penalties to a county with a population of 500,000 or more. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB229

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

229

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to transportation
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 291C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part X to be appropriately designated and to
read as follows:

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"
�291C-
�
Speed
limits for certain vehicles.
�
(a)
�
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no person shall drive a
motor vehicle with three or more axles or a motor vehicle weighing more than
ten thousand pounds, except for school or public buses, at a speed exceeding:

����
(1)
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Fifty miles per
hour or more irrespective of the applicable state or county speed limit; or

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(2)
�
Five miles per
hour less than the applicable state or county speed limit.

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(b)
�
For the purposes of this section "motor
vehicle with three or more axles" means a vehicle with a Federal Highway
Administration vehicle category classification of six or higher.
"

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SECTION
2.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

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SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOT;
Traffic Code; Speed Restrictions; Motor Vehicles

Description:

Establishes
a statewide speed restriction for motor vehicles with three or more axles or
motor vehicles weighing more than ten thousand pounds.

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