# Hawaii HB 304: RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.

Hawaii HB 304, RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) House bill sponsored by Mahina Poepoe (Democratic); status in committee, last action 2025-02-13 (Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 625) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB304-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 304
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.
- Status: in committee
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Last action: 2025-02-13, Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 625) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- Sponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Subjects: Hawaiian Language, State Law, JHA, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires that the Hawaiian version of a law be held binding if the law in question was originally drafted in Hawaiian and then translated into English and the law has not been later amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in English. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tina Nakada Grandinetti (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kim Coco Iwamoto (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kirstin Kahaloa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mike Lee (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: M.
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House

## Actions (7)

- 2025-02-13: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 625) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-02-13: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3). (House)
- 2025-01-31: 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, Perruso, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Todd. (House)
- 2025-01-27: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Friday, 01-31-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2025-01-16: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_HD1_.pdf)
- HB304_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_HD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_HD1_.pdf)
- [HB304_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_HD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB304_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
- [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-HB304-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).