SB2203 • 2026

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Active

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

Sponsor: CHANG, ELEFANTE, HASHIMOTO, RHOADS, RICHARDS, SAN BUENAVENTURA, WAKAI, Kanuha, Moriwaki
Last action: 2026-04-27
Official status: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 783).
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 LAW ENFORCEMENT.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Penal Code; Law Enforcement; Mask; Facial Covering; Prohibition; Criminal Offense Establishes the offense of use of a mask or facial covering by a law enforcement officer.
Effective 7/1/3000.
(HD1)

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: SB2203 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2203 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2203 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2203 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2203 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2203 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT .

SD1_SFA1

Hawaii published version SD1_SFA1

Plain English: SB template SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENT FLOOR AMENDMENT NO.

SB template SENATE FLOOR AMENDMENT FLOOR AMENDMENT NO.
�� Date �� TO:�� Senate Bill No.
2203, S.D.
1 �� SECTION 1.� Senate Bill No.

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: 2026-1081 SB2203 SD2 SMA.

2026-1081 SB2203 SD2 SMA.
THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2203 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.

Bill History

2026-04-27 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 783).
2026-04-27 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Chang, Gabbard.
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. 635).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Cochran voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-09 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Kila voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
2026-04-09 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1976-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-04-02 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: none; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Sayama.
2026-03-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-20 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 14
2026-02-18 H
Pass First Reading
2026-02-17 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 5) in amended form (SD 2).
2026-02-17 S
Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-02-13 S
48 Hrs. Notice 02-17-26
2026-02-13 S
Floor amendment adopted as amended (SD 2).
2026-02-13 S
Floor Amendment No. 1 offered.
2026-02-11 S
48 Hrs. Notice 02-13-26.
2026-02-11 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-02-11 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2160) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-05 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 JDC deferred the measure until 02-05-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Re-Referred to JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to PSM/EIG, JDC.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Penal Code; Law Enforcement; Mask; Facial Covering; Prohibition; Criminal Offense
Establishes the offense of use of a mask or facial covering by a law enforcement officer. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2203

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2203

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to law enforcement
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that requiring law enforcement officers to be identifiable is
fundamental to democratic values and promotes transparency and accountability
to the public those officers serve.
�

However, federal agents have recently begun using facial coverings
during immigration raids, which undermines public trust and leads the public to
question whether the officers are legitimate law enforcement officers and not
unlawful impersonators.
�
Prohibiting the
use of face masks unless certain conditions are met will improve public trust
by drawing a sharp distinction between legitimate law enforcement and the
perception of secret police tactics used by federal agents under the Trump
administration.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
establish
the offense of
use of a mask or personal disguise by a law enforcement
officer.

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SECTION 2.
�

Chapter 710, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section
to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�
710-
�
Use of a mask or personal disguise by a
law enforcement officer.
�
(1)
�
A person commits the offense of use of a mask
or personal disguise by a law enforcement officer if the person:

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(a)
�
Is
a law enforcement officer; and

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(b)
�
Wears
a mask or personal disguise while interacting with the public in the
performance of the law enforcement officer's duties.

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(2)
�

This section shall not apply to a law enforcement officer who:

����
(a)
�
Is
engaged in an undercover assignment; or

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(b)
�
Is
operating a motorcycle; provided that the law enforcement officer shall remove
the facial covering before and after operating the motorcycle.

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(3)
�

Use of a mask or personal disguise by a law enforcement officer shall be
a misdemeanor.

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(4)
�

For the purposes of this section:

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"Mask or personal disguise"
shall not include:

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(a)
�
A
medical grade mask that is surgical or an N95 respirator designed to prevent
the transmission of airborne diseases;

����
(b)
�
Equipment
necessary for weather or underwater protection;

����
(c)
�
A
mask designed to protect against exposure to smoke during a state of emergency
related to a wildfire;

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(d)
�
Protective
gear used by law enforcement officers necessary to safely perform official
duties as a member of the specialized services division, a special weapons and
tactics team, or a special response team; and

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(e)
�
A
face shield if the face shield does not conceal the wearer's face.

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"Motorcycle" has the same
meaning as defined in section 291C-1.
"

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SECTION 3.
�

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

����
SECTION 4.
�

If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person
or circumstance, is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other
provisions or applications of the Act that can be given effect without the
invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act
are severable.

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SECTION 5.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 6.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Law
Enforcement; Mask; Disguise; Prohibition; Criminal Offense; Penal Code

Description:

Establishes
the offense of
use of a mask or personal disguise by a law enforcement
officer.

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