SB2009 • 2026

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Taxes

Active

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

Sponsor: INOUYE, FEVELLA
Last action: 2026-03-19
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka voting no (2) and none excused (0).
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 MOTOR VEHICLES.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.
Motor Vehicles; Private Parties; Vehicle Transfer; Registration; Plates; Tags; Emblems; Notification; Centralized Notification System; Motor Vehicle Registration; Driver's License; Unpaid Monetary Obligations Part I: Establishes requirements for transferors and transferees of used motor vehicles.
Requires new number plates and tags or emblems for used motor vehicles transferred between private individuals.
Requires each county Director of Finance to notify all applicable state and local agencies upon receipt of official notification of a vehicle transfer from a transferor.

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.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2009 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2009 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2009 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2009 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2009 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2009 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES .

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: SB2009 SD2 � THE SENATE S.B.

SB2009 SD2 � THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2009 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES .

Bill History

2026-03-19 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka voting no (2) and none excused (0).
2026-03-19 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1233-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-03-17 H
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Miyake, Cochran, Evslin, Grandinetti, Kitagawa, La Chica, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Muraoka; and Excused: none.
2026-03-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Tuesday, 03-17-26 9:30AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 148) in amended form (SD 2).
2026-03-10 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2782) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
2026-02-26 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) San Buenaventura.
2026-02-23 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-26-26 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-02-10 S
Reported from TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2143) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-02-03 S
The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TRS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Kanuha.
2026-01-28 S
The committee(s) on TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-22 S
Referred to TRS, JDC.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.
Motor Vehicles; Private Parties; Vehicle Transfer; Registration; Plates; Tags; Emblems; Notification; Centralized Notification System; Motor Vehicle Registration; Driver's License; Unpaid Monetary Obligations
Part I: Establishes requirements for transferors and transferees of used motor vehicles. Requires new number plates and tags or emblems for used motor vehicles transferred between private individuals. Requires each county Director of Finance to notify all applicable state and local agencies upon receipt of official notification of a vehicle transfer from a transferor. Requires each county Director of Finance to establish a centralized notification system for applicable agencies for every vehicle transfer by 7/1/2028. Part II: Imposes a restriction on a person's ability to obtain or renew a driver's license or to register, renew the registration of, or transfer or receive title to a motor vehicle, as a consequence of unpaid monetary obligations, under certain circumstances. Repeals provisions that would have allowed any person prevented from obtaining or renewing a driver's license or motor vehicle registration solely due to failure to pay any monetary assessment to petition the court for a driver's license or motor vehicle clearance. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2009

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2009

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO MOTOR VEHICLES
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that when used motor vehicles are transferred from one individual
owner to another, the transferor often remains exposed to liability during the time
period between the vehicle being physically transferred and the buyer officially
updating the vehicle's registration.
�
The
legislature believes that transferors should not be held responsible if the new
owner is involved in an accident, commits a traffic infraction, or otherwise
uses the vehicle in an unlawful manner before completing the required
registration.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
facilitate the transfer of ownership of used motor vehicles between individuals
and reduce the risk of liability for transferors by requiring new number plates
and tags or emblems for those motor vehicles.

����
SECTION 2.
�

Chapter 249, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section
to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�249-
��
��
Used motor vehicles; individuals; number plates; new plate numbers, tags
and emblems; transferred motor vehicles; registration.
�
(a)
�
This section shall only apply to used motor
vehicles transferred between individuals and not to new motor vehicles or to used
vehicles sold by any dealer.

����
(b)
�
Upon the completion of the bill of sale in a
form approved by the director of finance and that shows the date of sale, and
the transfer of title to or interest in a motor vehicle pursuant to section
286-52, an individual transferor shall remove the number plates and registration
tag or emblem from the motor vehicle and submit the plates and the tag or
emblem to the director of finance for disposal.

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(c)
�
Within seven days of the removal of the
number plates, an individual transferee shall register the motor vehicle pursuant
to 249-7 and obtain new number plates with new numbers and a registration tag
or emblem for the motor vehicle by submitting proof of the transfer by showing
the director of finance the certificate of title, the dated bill of sale, and
any other documentation required by the director of finance.

����
(d)
�
The director of finance may adopt rules pursuant
to chapter 91 as necessary to implement this section.

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(e)
�
Any person who violates this section shall be
fined not more than $
��
�������
.
"

����
SECTION
3
.
�
Section 249-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

����
"(d)
�

After the initial payment of the tax and the original registration of a
vehicle as herein specified, a motor vehicle shall not be required to be
reweighed in any succeeding year unless it has been so altered or changed as to
increase or diminish its weight.
�
No new
number plates shall, however, be issued to a new owner except as provided in
sections 249-7.5 [
and
]
,
249-8[
.
]
, and 249-
��
.
"

����
SECTION 4.
�

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

����
SECTION 5.
�

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

����
SECTION 6.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Motor
Vehicles; Private Parties; Registration; Transfer; Plates; Tags; Emblems

Description:

Requires
new number plates and tags or emblems for used motor vehicles transferred
between private individuals.

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