# Hawaii HB 1716: RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Hawaii HB 1716, RELATING TO ELECTIONS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Mahina Poepoe (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-20 (House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Ratcliffe, Shimizu.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1716-2026
- 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 1716
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO ELECTIONS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-20
- Last action: 2026-04-20, House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Ratcliffe, Shimizu.
- Sponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Elections, Political Parties, Qualification, Ballot Placement, JDC
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (152 yes, 3 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Establishes a process by which any political party continuously listed on the general election ballot for two consecutive general election cycles shall be deemed continuously qualified for ballot placement. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tina Nakada Grandinetti (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-14 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-17 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 48 | 2 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 48 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | House | The votes in JHA were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Bela... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 0 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2026-04-20: House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Ratcliffe, Shimizu. (House)
- 2026-04-20: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786). (Senate)
- 2026-04-17: Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780). (Senate)
- 2026-04-16: House disagrees with Senate amendment (s). (House)
- 2026-04-14: Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) McKelvey. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-04-14: Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 611) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2026-04-10: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3729) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1). (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: 48 Hrs. Notice 04-14-26. (Senate)
- 2026-03-17: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 269). (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 9:55AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-03-05: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 919-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-03-05: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Garcia, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). (House)
- 2026-03-03: Reconsideration of action taken on 02-26-26. (House)
- 2026-03-03: The votes in JHA were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran. (House)
- 2026-03-03: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran. (House)
- 2026-02-27: Bill scheduled for reconsideration of previous decision by JHA on 03-03-26 2:00PM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-26: 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, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran. (House)
- 2026-02-24: Bill scheduled for decision making on Thursday, 02-26-26 2:00PM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-19: The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. (House)
- 2026-02-13: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-26: Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2026-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-20: Prefiled. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_SD1_.pdf)
- HB1716_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_HD1_.HTM)
- HB1716_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_SD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_.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/HB1716_SD1_.pdf)
- [HB1716_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB1716_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_SD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1716_.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1716-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).