SB2239 • 2026

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.

Elections

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: CHANG
Last action: 2026-05-08
Official status: Enrolled to Governor.
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 VOTER REGISTRATION.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.
Automatic Voter Registration; Identification Card; Driver's License Requires a person who applies for an identification card or driver's license to be automatically registered to vote unless the person affirmatively declines, subject to certain conditions.
Requires the name and address of a person who applies for an identification card or driver's license and is registered to vote to be automatically updated on the person's voter registration record unless the person affirmatively declines.
Effective 1/1/2027.

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.

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: SB2239 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2239 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2239 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2239 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2239 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2239 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2239 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2239 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2239 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION .

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Hartsfield, Kila, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (11) and none excused (0).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) McKelvey). Excused, 0 (none).
2026-05-01 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 130-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-05-01 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 130-26).
2026-04-28 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.
2026-04-28 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Perruso, Poepoe; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-27 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-28-26 2:00PM in conference room 325.
2026-04-24 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Monday 04-27-26 2:00PM in conference room 325.
2026-04-23 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-26 3:10PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-22 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-23-26 2:35PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 718).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Chang, Awa.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas, Perruso Co-Chairs; Poepoe, Garcia.
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. 636).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Cochran, Kila voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Hartsfield, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Olds, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (10) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-10 H
Deferred one day 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2079-26), 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: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Hartsfield, Alcos, Gedeon; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-04-02 H
The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26.
2026-03-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-30 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka voting no (5) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1555-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-03-25 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Sayama, Cochran.
2026-03-23 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 03-25-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 194) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) McKelvey . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Lee, C.). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
48 Hrs. Notice 3-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-03-06 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2881) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-18 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.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 9:05AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Re-Referred to JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to GVO, JDC.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.
Automatic Voter Registration; Identification Card; Driver's License
Requires a person who applies for an identification card or driver's license to be automatically registered to vote unless the person affirmatively declines, subject to certain conditions. Requires the name and address of a person who applies for an identification card or driver's license and is registered to vote to be automatically updated on the person's voter registration record unless the person affirmatively declines. Effective 1/1/2027. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2239

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2239

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO VOTER REGISTRATION
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 11-15.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"
[
[
]�11-15.5[
]
]
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Duties of all state agencies; voter
registration.
�
(a)
�
Each state agency that deals with the public
shall make available to each member of the public eighteen years of age or
older an application in the form of an affidavit for voter registration
pursuant to section 11-15.
�
The
application shall be available by mail or in person depending on the manner in
which the agency's services are requested by the person.
�
The form of the application may be identical
to that described and found in public telephone directories.

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(b)
�
Each state agency that deals with the public
and collects or cross-references reliable personal information indicating
citizenship status may provide that an application for a license, permit,
program, or service shall serve as a dual-purpose application.
�
If the state agency chooses to process any
application as a dual-purpose application, the application shall:

����
(1)
�
Serve
as an application for voter registration;

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(2)
�
Allow
an applicant to change the applicant's registered residence address or name as
it appears on the voter registration rolls; and

����
(3)
�
Provide
the applicant with an opportunity to affirmatively decline to register to vote
or change the applicant's registered residence address or name by providing a
check box on the application form without requiring the applicant to state a
reason.

Dual-purpose applications shall not be processed until
the applicant completes the portion of the application related to voter
registration and indicates the applicant's choice of whether to register to
vote.

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The submission of the
dual-purpose application shall be deemed to authorize the director of the
respective state agency to collect and transmit only the information necessary
to register the applicant as a voter if the applicant chose to register or to
make changes to the applicant's voter registration information unless the
applicant declined to make changes.
�
The
director of the respective state agency may electronically transmit the
necessary information to the clerk of the county in which the applicant resides,
election officials, and the online voter registration system pursuant to
subsection (d).

����
The
director of the respective state agency shall not transmit any information
necessary to register an applicant as a voter if the applicant chose not to be
registered to vote, nor transmit any information necessary to make changes to
the applicant's voter registration information if the applicant declined to
make changes.
�
The
director of the
respective state agency
shall
not transmit any information related to a voter application
or changes
to the applicant's voter registration information
if the applicant presents a
document demonstrating a lack of United States citizenship.

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(c)
�
Upon receipt of the completed dual-purpose
application transmitted from the director of the respective state agency, the
clerk shall review and either approve or reject the voter registration
application in accordance with this part; provided that an approved voter
registration application received from the director of the respective state
agency pursuant to this section shall be treated as having a valid signature
for purposes of section 11‑15(c), whether transmitted electronically or
by facsimile transmission.
�
Upon the
clerk's approval of the voter registration application or any changes to the
voter registration information, the clerk shall number the application and
register the name of the voter in the general county register as provided in
section 11‑14 or make approved changes to the voter's existing voter
registration information as applicable.

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(d)
�
Databases maintained or operated by each
state agency offering dual-purpose applications containing dual-purpose
application information, including any documents or images, may be accessible
and provided electronically to election officials and the online voter
registration system to allow for the timely processing of voter applications,
ensure the integrity of the voter registration rolls, and for any other voter
registration or election purposes, as determined by the director of the
respective state agency offering dual-purpose applications.

����
(e)
�
For the purposes of this section:

����
"Dual-purpose
application" means an application, an application for renewal, a change of
address form, or a recertification form for a license, permit, program, or
service offered by a state agency that also serves as an application to
register to vote in the State.

����
"Reliable personal
information" means information about individuals obtained from government
sources that may be used to verify whether an individual is eligible to
register to vote.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�

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

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SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Automatic
Voter Registration; State Agencies; Dual-Purpose Applications

Description:

Authorizes
state agencies to makes applications for voter registration part of certain
state agency application processes.
�
Facilitates
the sharing of certain information among certain state agencies, election
personnel, and online voter registration system.

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