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SB2081 • 2026

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

Active

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

Sponsor
KANUHA, CHANG, ELEFANTE, HASHIMOTO, KIDANI, MCKELVEY, MORIWAKI, RHOADS, RICHARDS, SAN BUENAVENTURA
Last action
2026-02-05
Official status
The committee on TRS deferred the measure.
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.

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.

What This Bill Does

  • RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.
  • Motor Vehicles; Certificate of Registration; Divorce Decree Authorizes a person to remove their name from a certificate of registration from a motor vehicle if that person is party to a divorce decree that states that title to the motor vehicle was granted to the other party.

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.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-05 S

    The committee on TRS deferred the measure.

  2. 2026-02-05 S

    The committee on EIG deferred the measure.

  3. 2026-02-02 S

    The committee(s) on TRS/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

  4. 2026-01-22 S

    Referred to TRS/EIG, JDC.

  5. 2026-01-21 S

    Introduced and passed First Reading.

  6. 2026-01-14 S

    Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLES.
Motor Vehicles; Certificate of Registration; Divorce Decree
Authorizes a person to remove their name from a certificate of registration from a motor vehicle if that person is party to a divorce decree that states that title to the motor vehicle was granted to the other party.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB2081

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2081

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 currently,
no change to a jointly titled motor vehicle registration may occur without
signatures from both parties.
�
However,
many divorce decrees award sole ownership of a jointly titled motor vehicle to
one party, yet due to the signature requirement, the non-owning party often
remains listed on the certificate of registration.
�
This failure to complete a transfer of title
potentially exposes one party to legal and financial risk from the divorced
party's operation of the motor vehicle.

����
The legislature believes that further action is necessary to
protect divorced individuals from any liability arising from motor vehicle
abandonment, citations, unmet registration requirements, and damages to
property or persons caused by accidents involving a motor vehicle they no
longer own or possess.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
authorize
a person to remove their name from a certificate of registration from a motor
vehicle if that person is party to a divorce decree that states that title to
the motor vehicle was granted to the other party.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 286-49, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�286-49
�
Registration of vehicles
under two or more names.
�
Unless
otherwise specifically stated by a written document, any vehicle registered in
the names of two or more persons shall be presumed to be owned in joint tenancy[
.
]
;
provided that any person may remove their name from the certificate of
registration if the person is party to a divorce decree filed and entered pursuant
to section 580-45 that states that title to the motor vehicle was granted to
the other party.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

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

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Motor
Vehicles; Certificate of Registration; Divorce Decree

Description:

Authorizes
a person to remove their name from a certificate of registration from a motor
vehicle if that person is party to a divorce decree that states that title to
the motor vehicle was granted to the other party.

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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.