HB2474 • 2026

RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: KAHALOA, AMATO, CHUN, EVSLIN, GARRETT, HOLT, ILAGAN, KAPELA, KILA, MIYAKE, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, TAKAYAMA, TEMPLO
Last action: 2026-05-07
Official status: Transmitted to Governor.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
Legislature; Governor; International Relations; International Cooperative Agreements; Sister-State or Province Partnerships; Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission Authorizes the State to enter into nonbinding international cooperative agreements with national governments; national ministries, departments, or agencies; provincial or regional governments; or international intergovernmental bodies relevant to the interests of the State or an international partner.
Expands the definition of sister-state or province partnerships to include a partnership between the State and a prefecture or foreign nation.
Requires the Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission to evaluate how a sister-state or province partnership or international cooperative agreement will enhance certain key state initiatives.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: HB2474 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2474 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2474 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB2474 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2474 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2474 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB2474 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2474 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2474 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: HB2474 SD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2474 SD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2474 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-07 H
Transmitted to Governor.
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
2026-05-01 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 153-26).
2026-05-01 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 153-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-05-01 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., DeCoite, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 4:32PM in Conference Room 411.
2026-05-01 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 11:40 AM; Conference Room 411.
2026-04-30 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 11:00AM in conference room 229.
2026-04-28 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 11:00AM in conference room 229.
2026-04-24 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 11:00AM; Conference Room 229.
2026-04-23 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 725).
2026-04-22 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Lee, C. Chairs; DeCoite, Kanuha Co-Chairs.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Ilagan, Hussey Co-Chairs; Tam, Gedeon.
2026-04-17 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).
2026-04-16 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2026-04-14 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 696) in amended form (SD 2).
2026-04-14 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-09 S
48 Hrs. Notice 04-14-26.
2026-04-09 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3681) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
2026-04-06 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..
2026-04-01 S
The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-06-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-30 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from WLA/EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3395) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao, DeCorte.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fukunaga; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kim, Fevella.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on WLA/EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:15PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to WLA/EDT, WAM.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 111).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 774-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-02 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 03-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 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 none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 423-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-13 H
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Friday, 02-13-26 8:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H
Referred to ECD, FIN, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-27 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
Legislature; Governor; International Relations; International Cooperative Agreements; Sister-State or Province Partnerships; Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission
Authorizes the State to enter into nonbinding international cooperative agreements with national governments; national ministries, departments, or agencies; provincial or regional governments; or international intergovernmental bodies relevant to the interests of the State or an international partner. Expands the definition of sister-state or province partnerships to include a partnership between the State and a prefecture or foreign nation. Requires the Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission to evaluate how a sister-state or province partnership or international cooperative agreement will enhance certain key state initiatives. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2474

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2474

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO INTERNATIONAL relations
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that the existing scope
of chapter 229, Hawaii Revised Statutes, needs to be broadened because at
present, it focuses largely on sister-state or province partnerships.
�
The legislature further finds that modern
government-to-government work requires the ability to enter into nonbinding memoranda
of understanding with national governments or ministries, regional bodies, and other
Asia-Pacific partners.
�
Such an expansion
will enable the State to advance in key areas including agriculture,
biosecurity, climate resilience, indigenous knowledge, education, renewable
energy, and economic development.

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

����
(1)
�
Authorize the governor
and legislature to enter into nonbinding international cooperative agreements
with foreign national governments, foreign subnational jurisdictions, and
regional intergovernmental partners; and

����
(2)
�
Authorize the
Hawaii
sister-state and international partnerships commission to review proposals for
sister-state or province partnerships and international cooperative agreements.

����
SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 229, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:

����
"
�229-
�
Purpose.
�
The
purpose of this chapter is to facilitate Hawaii's engagement in international,
regional, and sister-state or province partnerships to support the State's
cultural, educational, environmental, and economic goals.
�
This chapter authorizes the State to enter
into sister-state or province partnerships and international cooperative
agreements with foreign national governments, foreign subnational
jurisdictions, and regional intergovernmental partners.

����
�229-
�
International cooperative agreements;
authorized.
�
(a)
�

The governor, or the governor's designee, may enter into nonbinding
international cooperative agreements with national governments; national
ministries, departments, or agencies; provincial or regional governments; or
international intergovernmental bodies relevant to the State's interests in
Asia and the Pacific.

����
(b)
�

The legislature, through concurrent resolution or by enacting session
law to that effect, may enter into nonbinding international cooperative
agreements with national governments; national ministries, departments, or
agencies; provincial or regional governments; or international
intergovernmental bodies relevant to the State's interests in Asia and the
Pacific.

����
(c)
�
Any
international cooperative agreement entered into pursuant to subsection (a) or
(b):

����
(1)
�
Shall be
nonbinding;

����
(2)
�
Shall not
create legally enforceable obligations; and

����
(3)
�
Shall not
constitute any treaty, alliance, compact, or other agreement that is prohibited
by Article I, Section 10, of the United States Constitution.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
Chapter 229, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending its title to read as follows:

"
INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS;

SISTER-STATE
[
AND
]
OR
PROVINCE [
RELATIONSHIPS
]

PARTNERSHIPS
;
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
"

����
SECTION
4
.
�
Section 229-2,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as
follows:

����
"
(b)
�
The commission shall support the governor,
legislature, and office of international affairs in building and maintaining
strategic long-term sister-state or province partnerships
and international
cooperative agreements
that promote and enrich the people, cultures,
environments, and economies of the State and its international partners."

����
SECTION
5
.
�
Section 229-3,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�229-3
�
Initiating sister-state [
relationships.
]

or province partnerships; proposal review; international cooperative
agreements.
�
(a)
�
The commission shall
evaluate and develop recommendations for the initiation of all
sister-state or province partnerships
or
international cooperative agreements
and forward its recommendation to the
legislature.
�
The legislature, if it so
chooses, shall implement the recommendation to initiate a sister-state or
province partnership
or international cooperative agreement
by either
adopting a concurrent resolution or by enacting session law to that effect.

����
(b)
�
The commission may review proposals for sister-state
or province relationships or international cooperative agreements, including
agreements with national governments or ministries, and shall make
recommendations to the legislature and governor.
"

����
SECTION
6
.
�
Section 229-4,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending its title to read as follows:

����
"
�229-4
�
Maintaining sister-state [
relationships.
]

or province partnerships.
"

����
SECTION
7
.
�
Section 229-5,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending its title to read as follows:

����
"
�229-5
�
Dissolving sister-state [
relationships
.
]

or
province partnerships.
"

����
SECTION 8.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 9.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

International
Relations; International Cooperative Agreements; Sister-State or Province
Partnerships; Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships Commission

Description:

Authorizes
the Governor and Legislature to enter into nonbinding international cooperative
agreements with foreign national governments, foreign subnational jurisdictions,
and regional intergovernmental partners.
�

Authorizes the Hawaii Sister-State and International Partnerships
Commission to review proposals for sister-state or province partnerships and
international cooperative agreements.

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