SB2727 • 2026

RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: RHOADS
Last action: 2026-05-28
Official status: Act 056, on 05/28/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1156).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the previous statute of limitations as six months; it only mentions extending an unspecified period to one year. The candidate explanation assumes a six-month limit based on common practice but this is not explicitly stated in the provided official text.

Extending Time to File Discrimination Complaints

This law changes the time limit from six months to one year for people in Hawaii to file a complaint about discrimination with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

What This Bill Does

Changes the time limit for filing complaints of discrimination with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission from six months to one year.

Who It Names or Affects

People who experience discrimination in Hawaii
The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission

Terms To Know

Statute of Limitations: A law that sets a time limit for filing legal claims or complaints.
Civil Rights Commission: An agency responsible for enforcing laws against discrimination and protecting individuals' civil rights.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a complaint is filed after the new one-year limit.
It only applies to complaints filed with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, not other legal actions or agencies.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: SB2727 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2727 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2727 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII C.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2727 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2727 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2727 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION .

Bill History

2026-05-28 H
Act 056, on 05/28/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1156).
2026-05-28 S
Act 056, 05/28/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1156).
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, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none).
2026-04-30 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) 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. 7-26) 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. 7-26).
2026-04-23 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-23 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, Chang, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-22 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-23-26 2:35PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-22 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 720).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Chang, Awa.
2026-04-21 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 800).
2026-04-21 H
House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Shimizu.
2026-04-10 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 564).
2026-04-07 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-07 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 479).
2026-04-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Olds, Quinlan excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-01 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-04-01 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1588-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-03-17 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-17-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 16
2026-03-10 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-06 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 77).
2026-03-06 S
Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
One Day Notice 3/06/2026.
2026-03-05 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2805) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-18 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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
Referred to JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO DISCRIMINATION.
Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; Anti-discrimination; Statute of Limitations
Lengthens the statute of limitations to file a complaint of discrimination with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to one year. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2727

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2727

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to discrimination
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that Hawaii has
a strong, historic commitment to civil rights.
�

The legislature further finds that the extension to the statute of
limitations provided by this Act would ensure that individuals in Hawaii have greater
access to civil-rights protections that reflect the community values of the
State: fairness, dignity, and inclusion.
�

The legislature also finds that this extension allows individuals with a
more reasonable timeframe to recognize, report, and seek redress for unlawful
discrimination under Hawaii state law.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to extend the statute of limitations for filing
complaints with the Hawaii civil rights commission to one year.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 368-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

����
"
(c)
�

No complaint shall be filed after the expiration of [
one hundred
eighty days
]
one year
after the date:

����
(1)
�
Upon
which the alleged unlawful discriminatory practice occurred; or

����
(2)
�
Of
the last occurrence in a pattern of ongoing discriminatory practice.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

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

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaii Civil Rights Commission; Anti-discrimination;

Statute of Limitations

Description:

Lengthens
the statute of limitations to file a complaint of discrimination with the
Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to one year.

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