SB2146 • 2026

RELATING TO TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: RHOADS, CHANG, KEOHOKALOLE, RICHARDS
Last action: 2026-04-16
Official status: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
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 INFRACTIONS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS.
Traffic Fines Task Force; Establishment; Appropriation ($) Establishes a Traffic Fines Task Force that will examine the Finnish tiered traffic fines system, determine whether a similar system could be implemented in the State, and provide recommendations as to how a system could best be implemented.
Appropriates funds.
Effective 7/1/3000.

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: SB2146 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2146 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2146 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2146 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2146 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2146 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2146 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2146 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2146 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS .

Bill History

2026-04-16 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
2026-04-16 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-16 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 631).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Iwamoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Garcia, Gedeon, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Olds, Pierick, Ratcliffe, Shimizu voting no (11) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-10 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2156-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Reyes Oda; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon; and Excused: none.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-30 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (7) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1547-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
2026-03-24 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Cochran; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama.
2026-03-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-24-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-19 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Matsumoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (5) and none excused (0).
2026-03-19 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1230-26) 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.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to TRN, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 16
2026-03-10 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-06 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 42) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-06 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 21; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
One Day Notice 03-06-26.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2780) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-25 S
The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 03-02-26 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-23 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:55AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-11 S
Reported from JDC/TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2205) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-03 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, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.
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, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..
2026-01-29 S
The committee(s) on JDC/TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-22 S
Referred to JDC/TRS, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS.
Traffic Fines Task Force; Establishment; Appropriation ($)
Establishes a Traffic Fines Task Force that will examine the Finnish tiered traffic fines system, determine whether a similar system could be implemented in the State, and provide recommendations as to how a system could best be implemented. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2146

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2146

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO TRAFFIC INFRACTIONS
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that fines for speeding generally serve the purpose of
deterring such activities.
�
However, the
legislature notes that flat fines, which apply to any speeding driver, can be
ineffective deterrents upon wealthy offenders, since a person with access to
monetary resources can pay a flat fine with ease.

����
The legislature further finds that Finland
utilizes a scaled system for its traffic fines, in which the amount that an
offender must pay is based upon that offender's income, with higher yearly
incomes resulting in higher fines.
�
The
legislature also notes that Finland's scaled system is determined by fining
offenders using a formula based upon approximately half of their daily
earnings, with that number then being subject to multiplication based upon the
severity of the violation.

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For example, if a person earns $60,000 per
year, then it can be determined that the person makes approximately $230 per
workday; the baseline fine for such a person would be $115, which is half of
their earnings per workday.
�
Further,
Finland's system would then multiply this baseline $115 amount by a factor of
fifteen if the person was driving fifteen miles per hour over the speed limit,
with a maximum factor of one-hundred twenty for the most egregious of
violations.

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The legislature additionally finds that
implementation of a scaled fine system in the State would require that the
judiciary or police departments obtain sufficient data on the incomes of
offenders.
�
Further, the legislature
finds that implementation of a scaled fine system would require a mathematic
equation or other process by which an offender's fine is calculated in relation
to their income.
�
The legislature further
notes that the feasibility of such a program should be explored.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
establish and fund a traffic fines task force, which shall
examine the Finnish traffic fines system, determine whether a similar system
could be implemented in Hawaii, and provide recommendations as to how such a
system could best be implemented.

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SECTION 2.
�

(a)
�
The judiciary shall convene a
traffic fines task force to study the system of proportional traffic fines,
which is used by Finland, determine the feasibility of such a proportional
traffic fines system or a similar system in the State, and make recommendations
as to how proportional traffic fines could be implemented in the State.
�
The task force shall include the following
members:

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(1)
�
The
chief justice or the chief justice's designee, who shall serve as chairperson;

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(2)
�
The
attorney general or the attorney general's designee;

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(3)
�
The
director of taxation or the director's designee;

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(4)
�
The
director of law enforcement or the director's designee;

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(5)
�
Two
members representing different county police departments;

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(6)
�
One
member representing the cargo industry; and

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(7)
�
Any
other member as invited by the task force.

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(b)
�

The members of the task force shall not be compensated for their
services, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel
expenses, incurred for serving on the task force.
�
No member shall be made subject to chapter
84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, solely because of the member's participation in
the task force.

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(c)
�

The task force, with the assistance of the judiciary, shall submit a
report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation,
to the legislature no later than forty days prior to the convening of the
regular session of 2027.

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(d)
�

The task force shall be dissolved on June 30, 2027.

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SECTION 3.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $10,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2026-2027 for the
establishment of a traffic fines task
force, which shall examine the Finnish traffic fines system, determine whether
a similar system could be implemented in Hawaii, and provide recommendations as
to how a system could best be implemented
.

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The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the judiciary for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Traffic
Fines; Task Force; Establishment; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes a Traffic Fines Task Force that will examine
the Finnish tiered traffic fines system, determine whether a similar system
could be implemented in the State, and provide recommendations as to how a
system could best be implemented.
�

Appropriates funds.

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