SB2026 • 2026

RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY.

Active

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

Sponsor: INOUYE, CHANG, FUKUNAGA, KIDANI, RHOADS, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Wakai
Last action: 2026-03-30
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 Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
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 TRAFFIC SAFETY.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY.
Traffic Safety; Duty of Approaching Vehicle; Stationary Vehicle; Pickup Trucks; Passenger Restrictions Part I: Requires drivers of vehicles approaching stationary motor vehicles stopped in any location on the roadway, shoulder, or roadside to slow down and make a lane change if necessary.
Part II: Prohibits the operation of a pickup truck with a passenger seated in the bed or load-carrying area on roadways with posted speed limits of forty-six miles per hour or higher and roadways with three or more lanes traveling in the same direction.
Provides certain exemptions from passenger restrictions.

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: SB2026 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2026 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2026 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2026 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2026 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2026 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY .

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: SB2026 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2026 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2026 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC SAFETY .

Bill History

2026-03-30 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 Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1473-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-03-24 H
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Miyake, Evslin, Grandinetti, Kitagawa, La Chica, Cochran, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-19 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:00AM 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. 152) in amended form (SD 2).
2026-03-10 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.
2026-03-06 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3062) 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: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; 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. 2144) 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 TRAFFIC SAFETY.
Traffic Safety; Duty of Approaching Vehicle; Stationary Vehicle; Pickup Trucks; Passenger Restrictions
Part I: Requires drivers of vehicles approaching stationary motor vehicles stopped in any location on the roadway, shoulder, or roadside to slow down and make a lane change if necessary. Part II: Prohibits the operation of a pickup truck with a passenger seated in the bed or load-carrying area on roadways with posted speed limits of forty-six miles per hour or higher and roadways with three or more lanes traveling in the same direction. Provides certain exemptions from passenger restrictions. Increases the minimum age to ride in the bed or load-carrying area of a pickup truck while in operation from twelve years of age to eighteen years of age. 0Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2026

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2026

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to traffic safety
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that Hawaii's
roadways may present safety risks to individuals that are stopped on the
shoulder or roadside due to a disabled vehicle.
�

Although existing law requires motorists to slow down and move over when
approaching certain emergency vehicles, the law allows unsafe passing for all
other vehicles.
�
According to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly three thousand six
hundred fatalities occurred nationwide between 2014 and 2022 when ordinary
drivers and passengers were stranded in or near their disabled vehicles.

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The
legislature further finds that, as of 2025, twenty-nine states have enacted
comprehensive "move over" laws to cover all disabled vehicles
displaying hazard warning lights or other recognized safety signals.

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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to
require drivers of
vehicles approaching stationary motor vehicles stopped on the shoulder or
roadside due to a traffic collision or vehicle maintenance or mechanical
problem to slow down and make a lane change if necessary.

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SECTION
2
.
�
Section 291C-27, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�291C-27
�

Emergency
or stationary
vehicle stopped for emergencies; duty of
approaching vehicle.
�
(a)
�
A driver of a vehicle that is approaching an
emergency vehicle that is stopped for an emergency, investigation of a possible
traffic violation, rendering assistance to a police officer, or other official
duties,
or any stationary vehicle that is stopped on the shoulder or
roadside due to a traffic collision or vehicle maintenance or mechanical
problem,
as indicated by the flashing emergency lights
or warning
signals, including vehicle hazard warning lights, road flares, traffic cones,
caution signs, or any nonvehicular warning signs
of the stopped emergency
or
stationary
vehicle, shall:

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(1)
�
Slow down to a
reasonable and prudent speed that is safe under the circumstances of an
emergency road situation ahead.
�

Reasonableness and prudence shall take into account weather conditions,
road conditions, and vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the immediate
area.
�
If necessary, the driver shall
come to a complete stop before making a lane change under paragraph (2); and

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(2)
�
Make a lane change
into the adjacent lane if necessary and if it is safe to do so, or if possible,
to two lanes over which leaves one lane between the driver and the emergency
vehicle.

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(b)
�

As used in this section[
, "emergency
]
:

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"Emergency

vehicle" means a police or fire department vehicle, ocean safety vehicle,
emergency medical services vehicle, freeway service patrol vehicle, sheriff
division vehicle, Hawaii emergency management agency vehicle, county emergency
management vehicle, civil defense vehicle, department of transportation harbors
division vehicle, department of land and natural resources division of
conservation and resources enforcement vehicle, or a tow truck.

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"Stationary
vehicle" means a stationary motor vehicle or truck, as defined in section 286-2,
used for, including but not limited to maintenance, utility, construction,
delivery, transit, and passenger movement.

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(c)
�

Violation of subsection (a) shall not be subject to section 287-20,
relating to furnishing proof of financial responsibility.

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A violation of subsection (a) shall
constitute a violation if no death or injury results from the violation.

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If a death or injury occurs and is
attributable to the driver of the vehicle for a violation of subsection (a),
then the driver shall instead be charged under section 707-702.5 for negligent
homicide in the first degree; section 707-703 for negligent homicide in the
second degree; section 707-704 for negligent homicide in the third degree;
section 707-705 for negligent injury in the first degree; or section 707-706
for negligent injury in the second degree, as applicable."

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SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on January 1,
2027.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Stationary
Vehicles; Traffic Safety; Duty of Approaching Vehicle

Description:

Requires
drivers of vehicles approaching stationary motor vehicles stopped on the
shoulder or roadside due to a traffic collision or vehicle maintenance or
mechanical problem to slow down and make a lane change if necessary.

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