SB2527 • 2026

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSING.

Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: KOUCHI (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-03-03
Official status: The committee on JDC 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 COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSING.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSING.
Hawaii Council of Mayors Package; Commercial Driver Licensing; Alcohol; Substance Abuse; Testing; Counties; Firefighters; Exemptions; HDOT Requires that state and county firefighters exempt from commercial driver licensure be subject to an alcohol and substance abuse policy for employees that is equivalent to, or exceeds the provisions of, the safety and health standards established by the United States Department of Transportation for holders of commercial driver's licenses.

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

2026-03-03 S
The committee on JDC deferred the measure.
2026-02-24 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-19 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC.
2026-02-19 S
Reported from TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2451) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC.
2026-02-17 S
The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in TRS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C., DeCorte.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-17-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
Re-Referred to TRS, JDC.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to TRS/PSM, JDC.
2026-01-23 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSING.
Hawaii Council of Mayors Package; Commercial Driver Licensing; Alcohol; Substance Abuse; Testing; Counties; Firefighters; Exemptions; HDOT
Requires that state and county firefighters exempt from commercial driver licensure be subject to an alcohol and substance abuse policy for employees that is equivalent to, or exceeds the provisions of, the safety and health standards established by the United States Department of Transportation for holders of commercial driver's licenses.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2527

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2527

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to Commercial Driver Licensing
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 286-235.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�286-235.5
�
Persons exempt from licensure.
�
(a)
�

The following persons shall be exempt from licensure under this part:

����
(1)
�
Individuals who operate commercial motor
vehicles for military purposes.
�
This
exception is limited to active-duty military personnel, members of the military
reserves, members of the national guard on active duty, including personnel on
full-time national guard duty, personnel on part-time national guard training,
and national guard military technicians (civilians who are required to wear
military uniforms), and active-duty United States Coast Guard personnel.
�
This exception is not applicable to
United States

reserve technicians; and

����
(2)
�
Federal, state, and county firefighters, and
law enforcement officers who drive federal, state, or county fire trucks,
including fire pumpers, aerial ladder trucks, and elevated platform trucks, or
authorized emergency vehicles; provided that they are trained by the federal,
state, or county government and the commercial motor vehicles are equipped with
audible and visual signals and are not subject to normal traffic
regulation.
�
For purposes of this
paragraph, "authorized emergency vehicle" shall have the same meaning
as in section 291C-1.

����
(b)
�
State and county firefighters exempt from
licensure under this part shall be subject to an alcohol and substance abuse
policy for employees that is equivalent to, or exceeds the provisions of, the
safety and health standards established by the United States Department of
Transportation for holders of commercial driver's licenses.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
This Act does not affect rights and
duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were
begun before its effective date.

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SECTION 3.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Hawaii
Council of Mayors Package; Commercial Driver Licensing; Alcohol; Substance
Abuse; Testing; Counties; Firefighters; Exemptions; HDOT

Description:

Requires that
state and county firefighters exempt from commercial driver licensure be
subject to an alcohol and substance abuse policy for employees that is
equivalent to, or exceeds the provisions of, the safety and health standards
established by the United States Department of Transportation for holders of
commercial driver's licenses.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.