SB3255 • 2026

RELATING TO CURRENCY.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: GABBARD, RHOADS
Last action: 2026-05-08
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 CURRENCY.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO CURRENCY.
Cash Transactions; Unfair and Deceptive Practices; Rounding; Pennies Authorizes cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents, except for cash transactions that total $0.01 or $0.02, which are to be rounded up to $0.05.
Exempts transactions in which payment is made by demand or negotiable instrument, electronic fund transfer, check, gift card, money order, credit card, or other like instrument or method.
Effective 7/1/2026.

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: SB3255 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB3255 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
3255 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB3255 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB3255 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
3255 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB3255 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB3255 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
3255 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB3255 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB3255 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
3255 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CURRENCY .

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka voting no (2) and none excused (0).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, San Buenaventura). Excused, 0 (none).
2026-04-29 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
2026-04-29 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 76-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-04-29 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
2026-04-29 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 76-26).
2026-04-29 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Yamashita, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-29 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Lamosao; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-28 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-29-26 3:30PM in conference room 224.
2026-04-27 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 761).
2026-04-24 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Keohokalole Chair; Lamosao, Awa.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Matayoshi, Yamashita Co-Chairs; Pierick.
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. 770).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-10 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2151-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-24 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2).
2026-03-24 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1338-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-03-17 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Kong, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Lowen.
2026-03-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 03-17-26 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to CPC, FIN, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 395) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
48 Hrs. Notice 3-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-03-06 S
Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2879) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-03-04 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.
2026-03-02 S
The committee on CPN will reconsider its previous decision on 02-25-26 and will hold a public decision making on 03-04-26 9:34AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-02-25 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.
2026-02-20 S
The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-25-26 9:32AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-02-02 S
Referred to CPN.
2026-01-28 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-28 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CURRENCY.
Cash Transactions; Unfair and Deceptive Practices; Rounding; Pennies
Authorizes cash transactions to be rounded up or down to the nearest five cents, except for cash transactions that total $0.01 or $0.02, which are to be rounded up to $0.05. Exempts transactions in which payment is made by demand or negotiable instrument, electronic fund transfer, check, gift card, money order, credit card, or other like instrument or method. Effective 7/1/2026. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB3255

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

3255

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to currency
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that access to basic goods and services is essential to the
health, safety, and economic well-being of the people of the State.
�
In recent years, an increasing number of
merchants and vendors have adopted "cashless" business models that
refuse to accept United States currency as payment for goods or services.
�
While these models may offer convenience for
some consumers, they effectively exclude individuals who rely on cash
transactions, including kupuna, low-income residents, individuals without
access to banking or credit services, and others who are unbanked or
underbanked.

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The legislature recognizes that United
States coins and currency are designated as legal tenders for all debts, public
charges, taxes, and dues, and that the refusal to accept cash for everyday
transactions may create barriers to commerce, undermine consumer choice, and
exacerbate existing economic inequities in the State.
�
The legislature further finds that this
exclusion may function as an economic barrier that disproportionately affects
vulnerable populations and undermines the State's commitment to fairness and
equal access.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
safeguard access to goods and services by requiring retail merchants to accept
cash payments in in-person transactions.

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SECTION 2.
�

Chapter 481B, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new
section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�481B-
�
Forms of payment; cash.
�
(a)
�

All merchants shall accept cash as payment for goods or services;
provided that this section shall not apply to online purchases or sales made
over the Internet.

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(b)
�
For the purposes of this section, "merchant"
shall have the same meaning as defined in section 481B-5.5.
"

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SECTION 3.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Cash
Payments; Discrimination; Public Accommodations; Unfair and Deceptive Practices

Description:

Requires retail merchants to accept cash payments
in
in-person transactions
.

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