SB2896 • 2026

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES.

Active

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

Sponsor: LAMOSAO, CHANG, HASHIMOTO, Gabbard, Richards, San Buenaventura
Last action: 2026-03-24
Official status: The committee(s) on TRN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
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'S LICENSES.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES.
DOT; DLIR; Commercial Driver's Licenses; Minimum Age; Commercial Driver Training Programs; Apprenticeship Programs Lowers the age of who may drive commercially within the State from nineteen to eighteen.
Repeals the requirement that a person only operates category 3 vehicles to qualify to drive commercially in the State.
Prohibits a person under twenty-one years of age from operating a commercial motor vehicle outside of state-approved commercial driver training programs or registered apprenticeship programs as determined by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

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.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2896 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2896 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2896 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES .

Bill History

2026-03-24 H
The committee(s) on TRN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2026-03-19 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:00AM 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. 316) 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. 2987) 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.
2026-02-18 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-02-18 S
Reported from TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2326) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-02-12 S
The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TRS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-06 S
The committee(s) on TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-12-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Referred to TRS, JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES.
DOT; DLIR; Commercial Driver's Licenses; Minimum Age; Commercial Driver Training Programs; Apprenticeship Programs
Lowers the age of who may drive commercially within the State from nineteen to eighteen. Repeals the requirement that a person only operates category 3 vehicles to qualify to drive commercially in the State. Prohibits a person under twenty-one years of age from operating a commercial motor vehicle outside of state-approved commercial driver training programs or registered apprenticeship programs as determined by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Requires the Department of Transportation to consult with DLIR to amend its rules to allow persons under twenty-one years of age to operate a commercial motor vehicle under certain conditions. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2896

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2896

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to commercial driver's licenses
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section
286-102.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
[
[
]
�286-102.3[
]
]
�
Commercial drivers under the age of
twenty-one.
�
A person [
is
qualified to
]
may
drive commercially in the State in intrastate
commerce if the person:

����
(1)
�
Is at least [
nineteen
]

eighteen
years of age;

����
(2)
�
Is in compliance
with title 49 Code of Federal Regulations[
,
] part 390-396, subpart B,
except section 391.11(b)(1) in the case of an intrastate driver involved in
intrastate commerce in the State;

���
[
(3)
�
Only operates a
category 3 vehicle as defined in section 286-102(b)(3);

����
(4)
]

(3)
�
[
Shall
]
Does
not
transport hazardous materials [
as defined in section 286-2
], nor
passengers in a school vehicle as defined in section 286-181; and

���
[
(5)
]

(4)
�
Has had a category 3 state driver's
license for the two years immediately preceding driving commercially under this
section, with the following conditions:

���������
(A)
�
Has not had any
license suspended, revoked, or canceled; and

���������
(B)
�
Has not had any
conviction for:

��������������
(i)
�
Speeding
excessively involving any speed of fifteen miles per hour or more above the
speed limit;

�������������
(ii)
�
Driving
recklessly, as defined by state or local law or regulation, including but not
limited to offenses of driving a motor vehicle in wilful or wanton disregard
for the safety of person or property;

������������
(iii)
�
Making improper or
erratic traffic lane changes;

�������������
(iv)
�
Following the
vehicle ahead too closely; or

��������������
(v)
�
Violating state or
local law relating to motor vehicle traffic control, excluding parking
violations, arising in connection with a fatal accident."

����
SECTION 2.
�
The department of transportation shall adopt
or amend rules pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, necessary to
lower the minimum age required for a commercial driver's license from
twenty-one to eighteen.

����
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:

DOT; Commercial
Driver's Licenses; Minimum Age

Description:

Lowers
the age of who may drive commercially within the State from nineteen to
eighteen.
�
Repeals the requirement that a
person only operates category 3 vehicles to qualify to drive commercially in
the State.
�
Requires the Department of Transportation
to amend its rules to lower the minimum age required for a commercial driver's
license.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.