# Hawaii HB 2165: RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW.

Hawaii HB 2165, RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Jackson D. Sayama (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-16 (Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2165-2026
- 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 2165
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-26
- Last action: 2026-04-16, Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).
- Sponsor: Jackson D. Sayama (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: DLIR, Hawaii Employment Security Law, Unemployment Benefits, Recovery of Benefits, Assessments, Records and Reports, LBT, WAM
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (141 yes, 12 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Amends the qualifications for unemployed individuals who are able to receive unemployment benefits. Beginning 4/1/2027, removes the two-year limitation on the recoupment of overpayments and limits the amount of overpaid amount and the penalty assessment amount that can be deducted from future benefits payable to the individual. Beginning 4/1/2027, requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to assess and collect a service charge for dishonored unemployment insurance assessments. Beginning 4/1/2027, specifies that employers must report separation and wage information within five calendar days of notice being sent, whether by mail or electronic notification. Beginning 4/1/2027, increases the penalty for failure to report separations or wages and for failure to file or for filing insufficient wage reports. Effective 1/1/2077. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jackson D. Sayama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mike Lee (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: M.

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-06 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 12 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-23 | Senate | The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 40 | 10 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC... | pass | 46 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 6 | 0 |   |

## Actions (30)

- 2026-04-16: Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599). (Senate)
- 2026-04-14: House disagrees with Senate amendment (s). (House)
- 2026-04-10: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 547) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2026-04-09: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3619) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-04-09: One Day Notice 04-10-26. (Senate)
- 2026-04-06: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C.. (Senate)
- 2026-04-01: The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-06-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3351) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Fevella. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 372). (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to LBT, WAM. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Grandinetti, Kapela, Perruso, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Garcia, Gedeon, Hussey, Iwamoto, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Poepoe voting no (10) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1053-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26. (House)
- 2026-03-04: The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick. (House)
- 2026-03-03: The committee(s) on CPC recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-04-26. (House)
- 2026-03-03: Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 03-04-26 2:00PM in conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-27: Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-17: Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 281-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC. (House)
- 2026-02-17: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with Representative(s) Garcia, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3). (House)
- 2026-02-10: The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-05: Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 02-10-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-30: Referred to LAB, CPC, referral sheet 5 (House)
- 2026-01-28: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-26: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_SD1_.pdf)
- HB2165_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_HD1_.HTM)
- HB2165_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_HD2_.HTM)
- HB2165_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_SD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_SD1_.pdf)
- [HB2165_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB2165_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_HD2_.HTM)
- [HB2165_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_SD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2165_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 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 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2165-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).