# Hawaii HB 1531: RELATING TO EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Hawaii HB 1531, RELATING TO EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Sam Satoru Kong (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-12 (Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 240).) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1531-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 1531
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-03-12, Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 240).
- Sponsor: Sam Satoru Kong (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Emergency, Official Announcements, Broadcast Media, American Sign Language, Sign Language Interpreter, PSM, WAM
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (118 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires the Governor or mayor of a county, during a state of emergency, to provide an American Sign Language interpreter at each live broadcast press conference. Requires the Governor or mayor of a county to provide a primary pool feed for any live official announcement that includes an American Sign Language interpreter in a picture-in-picture window, and does not require broadcasters that rebroadcast the official announcement to independently generate or insert this accessibility feature. Requires, to the fullest extent possible, that the American Sign Language interpreter's face, body, arms, and hands are visible. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Sam Satoru Kong (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (19)

- 2026-03-12: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 240). (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to PSM, WAM. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Hartsfield, Kahaloa, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kila, Olds, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1146-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26. (House)
- 2026-03-05: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama. (House)
- 2026-03-03: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-05-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 191-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2026-02-11: 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) Holt excused (1). (House)
- 2026-02-06: The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-05: Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 02-06-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-04: The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-06-26 11:30AM. (House)
- 2026-02-02: Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-04-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-30: The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-04-26. (House)
- 2026-01-27: Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Friday, 01-30-26 11:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-26: Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2026-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_HD2_.pdf)
- HB1531_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_HD1_.HTM)
- HB1531_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_HD2_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_HD2_.pdf)
- [HB1531_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB1531_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_HD2_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1531_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1531-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).