SB2795 • 2026

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG.

Housing

Active

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

Sponsor: DECOITE (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-03-20
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
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 HAWAIIAN FLAG.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG.
Hawaiian Flag; Display; Condominiums; Cooperative Housing Corporations; Planned Community Associations Requires cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominium associations to allow owners to display the Hawaiian flag within the owner's property.
Allows reasonable time, place, manner, and size restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays to protect a documented substantial interest of the association or corporation.
Authorizes cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominium associations to impose stricter size restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays or eliminate the flagpole or have its height lowered if the documented substantial interest is related to health or safety.

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: SB2795 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2795 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2795 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2795 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2795 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2795 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG .

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: SB2795 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2795 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2795 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG .

Bill History

2026-03-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-03-20 H
Reported from CAA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1266-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2026-03-18 H
The committee on CAA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Kapela, Kong, Garrett, Lee, M., Sayama, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CAA on Wednesday, 03-18-26 10:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to CAA, CPC, JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 295) in amended form (SD 2).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3027) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
2026-03-03 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
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.
2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from HWN/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2641) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-02-06 S
The committee(s) on HWN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HWN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Richards, Lamosao, Ihara, Keohokalole, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-06 S
The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Lamosao, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on HWN/CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-26 9:30AM; CR 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Referred to HWN/CPN, JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG.
Hawaiian Flag; Display; Condominiums; Cooperative Housing Corporations; Planned Community Associations
Requires cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominium associations to allow owners to display the Hawaiian flag within the owner's property. Allows reasonable time, place, manner, and size restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays to protect a documented substantial interest of the association or corporation. Authorizes cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and condominium associations to impose stricter size restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays or eliminate the flagpole or have its height lowered if the documented substantial interest is related to health or safety. Effective 9/9/2129. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2795

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2795

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO THE HAWAIIAN FLAG
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that Ka Hae Hawai`i
(the Hawaiian flag) has been an enduring symbol of the islands, representing
Hawai`i and its people for more than two hundred years.
�
Initially developed under Kamehameha Pai`ea
Kūnuiākea (Kamehameha I) in 1816, the flag reflected the close,
supportive relationship between Hawai`i and Great Britain.

����
The red,
white, and blue striped flag with the Union Jack in the corner was amended
slightly over the years before it was set as the official design, with the
familiar look that we know now, by Ka `Aha`ōlelo o Ko Hawai`i Pae `Āina
(the Hawaiian Kingdom legislature) in 1845.
�

Ka Hae Hawai`i became a beloved and proud symbol of the people through
five decades of Hawaiian Kingdom international diplomacy and domestic
achievement.

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On January
1, 1862, the Hawaiian-language newspaper Ka Nupepa Kuokoa printed a color Hae
Hawai`i on the opening page of its New Year's issue, something never before
seen in any nation and one of the first uses of color in a newspaper anywhere
in the world.
�
The paper ran a column
alongside the flag declaring the people's pride in this important symbol.

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Official
holidays such as Lā Ho`omana`o o Kamehameha I (Kamehameha Day), Lā Ho`iho`i
Ea (Restoration of Sovereignty Day), and Lā Kū`oko`a (Independence
Day) witnessed celebrations across the islands with event sites covered with
thousands of Hae Hawai`i reflecting the pride and joy of the people.

����
The
Hawaiian flag became one of the core representations of the people's voice
following the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian government with men and women
wearing Hae Hawai`i hat bands and women creating Hae Hawai`i quilts.
�
The Hawaiian flag would endure, being adopted
by the provisional government of 1893, the Republic of 1894, the Territory of
1900, and the State of Hawai`i in 1959.

����
Today, in
2026, while the flag may represent different things to various people, it
remains an historic and beloved symbol of Hawai`i nei for nearly all.
�
The legislature notes that the Hawai`i State
Constitution honors and protects Hawai`i�s rich cultural heritage.
�
The legislature also notes that the federal
Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, P.L. 109-243, protects an
individual's right to display the flag of the United States on residential
property.
�
The legislature finds that an
individual's right to display the Hawaiian flag should be similarly protected.

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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to further Hawai`i's unique and diverse cultural
history, as well as an individual's right to free speech and cultural
practices, by protecting the right to display the Hawaiian flag at an
individual's home.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 421I, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�421I-
��
��
Display of Hawaiian flag.
�
(a)
�
No corporation shall prohibit
the display of the Hawaiian flag by a tenant shareholder within the
shareholder's dwelling unit.

����
(b)
�
A corporation may adopt reasonable
restrictions regarding the time, place, and manner of displaying the Hawaiian
flag to protect a substantial interest of the corporation.

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(c)
�
For the purposes of this section,
"Hawaiian flag" means the flag described in section 5-19.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
Chapter 421J, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

����
"
�421J-
��
��
Display of Hawaiian flag.
�
(a)
�
No association shall prohibit
the display of the Hawaiian flag by a member within the member's unit.

����
(b)
�
An association may adopt reasonable
restrictions regarding the time, place, and manner of displaying the Hawaiian
flag to protect a substantial interest of the association.

����
(c)
�
For the purposes of this section,
"Hawaiian flag" means the flag described in section 5-19.
"

����
SECTION 4.
�
Chapter 514B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to subpart A of part VI to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�514B-
��
��
Display of Hawaiian flag.
�
(a)
�
No association shall prohibit the display of
the Hawaiian flag by a unit owner within the unit owner's unit or on any limited
common element that is for the exclusive use of the unit owner.

����
(b)
�
An
association may adopt reasonable rules and regulations regarding the time,
place, and manner of displaying the Hawaiian flag to protect a substantial
interest of the association.

����
(c)
�

For the purposes of this section, "Hawaiian flag" means the
flag described in section 5-19.
"

����
SECTION 5.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaiian Flag;
Display; Condominiums; Cooperative Housing Corporations; Planned Community Associations

Description:

Requires
cooperative housing corporations, planned community associations, and
condominium associations to allow owners to display the Hawaiian flag within
the owner's property.
�
Allows reasonable time,
place, and manner restrictions on Hawaiian flag displays to protect a
substantial interest of the association or corporation.

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