SB2466 • 2026

RELATING TO THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER.

Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: RHOADS, CHANG, FUKUNAGA
Last action: 2026-04-30
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 THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER.
Elections Commission; Chief Election Officer; Termination Specifies that the Chief Election Officer may only be terminated for cause.
(CD1)

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: SB2466 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2466 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2466 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII C.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2466 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2466 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2466 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER .

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2466 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2466 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2466 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER .

Bill History

2026-05-01 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 882).
2026-04-30 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-04-30 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 803).
2026-04-30 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 21; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Richards).
2026-04-30 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Kila, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting no (9) and none excused (0).
2026-04-28 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Thursday, 04-30-26.
2026-04-28 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 2-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-04-28 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-26.
2026-04-28 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 2-26).
2026-04-22 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 2 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Tarnas; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Reyes Oda; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-22 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-21 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-22-26 2:30PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-20 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714).
2026-04-20 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Gabbard, Chang.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Sayama, Tarnas Co-Chairs; Reyes Oda.
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. 662).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Kila, Reyes Oda, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-09 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
2026-04-09 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2038-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-31 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.
2026-03-25 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-31-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-03-20 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1261-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-03-17 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kong; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Reyes Oda.
2026-03-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-17-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to LAB, JHA, referral sheet 16
2026-03-10 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-06 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 55).
2026-03-06 S
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 3/6/26.
2026-03-05 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2800) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Chang, San Buenaventura.
2026-02-09 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Re-Referred to JDC.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to LBT, JDC.
2026-01-22 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-22 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER.
Elections Commission; Chief Election Officer; Termination
Specifies that the Chief Election Officer may only be terminated for cause. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2466

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2466

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 11-7.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"
�11-7.5
�
Duties of the elections
commission.
�
The duties of the
elections commission are to:

����
(1)
�
Hold
public hearings;

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(2)
�
Investigate
and hold hearings for receiving evidence of any violations and complaints;

����
(3)
�
Adopt
rules pursuant to chapter 91;

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(4)
�
Employ,
without regard to chapter 76, a full-time chief election officer, pursuant to
section 11-1.6;
provided that the chief election officer who passes the
standard state probationary period may only be terminated for cause;

����
(5)
�
Conduct a performance evaluation of the
chief election officer within two months after the date a general election is
certified;

����
(6)
�
Hold a public hearing on the
performance of the chief election officer and consider the information gathered
at the hearing in deliberations on the chief election officer's reappointment;
provided
that the chief election officer who passes the standard state probationary
period may only be terminated for cause;
and

����
(7)
�
Advise the chief election officer on
matters relating to elections."

����
SECTION 2.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Elections Commission; Chief Election Officer; Termination

Description:

Specifies that the Chief Election office who passes the
standard state probationary period may only be terminated for cause.

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