SB2851 • 2026

RELATING TO DEAF INDIVIDUALS.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA, CHANG, ELEFANTE, FUKUNAGA, KANUHA, MCKELVEY, RHOADS, Hashimoto
Last action: 2026-05-07
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 DEAF INDIVIDUALS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO DEAF INDIVIDUALS.
Deaf; Hearing Impaired; Disability; Motor Vehicle Registration; Law Enforcement Authorizes deaf motor vehicle owners to register their vehicle as being owned by a deaf individual so that a deafness designation appears when a law enforcement officer accesses the motor vehicle's information.
Effective 1/1/2027.
(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: SB2851 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2851 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2851 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2851 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2851 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2851 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2851 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2851 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2851 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2851 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2851 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2851 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEAF INDIVIDUALS .

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-07 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-05-05 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 814).
2026-05-01 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Fukunaga).
2026-05-01 H
Deferred one day 05-06-26.
2026-04-29 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 05-01-26.
2026-04-29 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 13-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-04-29 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-01-26.
2026-04-29 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 13-26).
2026-04-24 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 2 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Poepoe; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.
2026-04-24 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, McKelvey, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-23 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 811).
2026-04-22 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-26 9:30AM; CR 329.
2026-04-22 H
House Conferees Appointed: Kila, Poepoe Co-Chairs; Muraoka.
2026-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 718).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Inouye Chair; McKelvey, Rhoads Co-Chairs; DeCorte.
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. 707).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-10 H
Deferred one day 04-14-26.
2026-04-08 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 04-10-26.
2026-04-08 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1825-26) 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: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Cochran, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; 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.
2026-03-24 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2).
2026-03-24 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1334-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-03-19 H
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Miyake, Evslin, Grandinetti, La Chica, Cochran, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kitagawa.
2026-03-16 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Thursday, 03-19-26 8:30AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 309) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
One Day Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2992) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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.
2026-02-13 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-02-13 S
Reported from TRS/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2261) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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.
2026-02-06 S
The committee(s) on TRS/HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 1:15PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Referred to TRS/HHS, JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO DEAF INDIVIDUALS.
Deaf; Hearing Impaired; Disability; Motor Vehicle Registration; Law Enforcement
Authorizes deaf motor vehicle owners to register their vehicle as being owned by a deaf individual so that a deafness designation appears when a law enforcement officer accesses the motor vehicle's information. Effective 1/1/2027. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2851

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2851

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to deaf individuals
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds that the dangers
associated with a routine traffic stop can increase if a law enforcement
officer is not aware that the driver is deaf.
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A deaf driver's failure to respond to verbal commands or an officer's
misinterpretation of a deaf individual's gestures can lead to undesired
outcomes.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to prevent miscommunication between deaf drivers and
law enforcement officers by providing law enforcement officers with a
notification that a driver is deaf when the officer conducts an electronic
check of the motor vehicle's registration.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 286, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to part III to be appropriately designated
and to read as follows:

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"
�286-
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Deaf owner; registration.
�
(a)
�
Upon application by a motor
vehicle owner who is deaf, the director of finance of the county where the
vehicle is to be operated shall add a designation to the registration of the
motor vehicle bearing the international symbol for deafness or a numerical code
designating deafness.

����
(b)
�
The deafness designation shall
appear when a law enforcement officer accesses the motor vehicle's information
and shall be used to alert the law enforcement officer that the owner of the
motor vehicle is deaf.

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(c)
�
Except as provided by
subsection (b), the director of finance of the county where the vehicle is to
be operated shall restrict access to the vehicle owner's deafness designation, as
required by law.

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(d)
�

For purpose of
this section, "deaf" means a
person whose average loss in the
speech frequencies (500-2000 Hertz) in the better ear is eighty-two decibels,
A.S.A., or worse.
�
The impairment of
deafness shall be:

����
(1)
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Certified by a qualified
otolaryngologist or an audiologist licensed under chapter 468E; or

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(2)
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Demonstrated by presenting a copy of
the individual's most recent filed income tax forms as referenced in the
definition of the term "deaf" under section 235‑1.
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

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

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Deaf; Hearing
Impaired; Disability; Motor Vehicle Registration; Law Enforcement

Description:

Authorizes
deaf motor vehicle owners to register their vehicle as being owned by a deaf
individual so that a deafness designation appears when a law enforcement
officer accesses the motor vehicle's information.

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