# Hawaii HB 1638: RELATING TO PROPERTY DAMAGES.

Hawaii HB 1638, RELATING TO PROPERTY DAMAGES., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-01-26 (Referred to EEP, CPC/JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1638-2026
- 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 1638
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO PROPERTY DAMAGES.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-20
- Last action: 2026-01-26, Referred to EEP, CPC/JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1
- Sponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Covered Catastrophic Wildfires, Actual Damages, Aggregate Liability Limit, Electric Utilities, Economic Damages, Statute of Limitation, Right to Subrogation, EEP, CPC/JHA, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Limits claims alleging property damage from covered catastrophic wildfires to actual damages. Amends the aggregate liability limit for qualifying damages from covered catastrophic wildfires to be $1,000,000,000, rather than administratively established by the Public Utilities Commission, and makes the limit applicable only to property covered by a property insurance policy up to the coverage limit. Requires the Director of Emergency Management to determine whether a wildfire is a covered catastrophic wildfire. Specifies that claims subject to the limit must be filed within one year of the covered catastrophic wildfire. Clarifies that a property and casualty insurer's rights to subrogation are not limited in the context of an insured's recovery by judgment or settlement of a third-party tort claim.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic), House

## Actions (3)

- 2026-01-26: Referred to EEP, CPC/JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2026-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-20: Prefiled. (House)

## Bill text

- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1638_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1638_.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
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1638_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1638_.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)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1638-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).