# Hawaii HB 477: RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW.

Hawaii HB 477, RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) House bill sponsored by Jackson D. Sayama (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-25 (Act 214, 06/25/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1316).); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB477-2025
- As of: 2026-10-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 477
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-06-25, Act 214, 06/25/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1316).
- Sponsor: Jackson D. Sayama (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: Hawaii Employment Security Law, Unemployment Benefits, Unemployment Claims, Registration for Work, Electronic Notification, LBT, WAM/JDC
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (201 yes, 7 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

Amends the definition of "registered for work" or "registration for work" under the Hawaii Employment Security Law. Repeals the requirement to post work availability online. Amends the qualifications for unemployed individuals who are able to receive certain unemployment benefits. Beginning 4/1/2027, permits electronic notification of determinations or redeterminations of unemployment claims. Repeals language that limited an individual's ability to change a previously elected withholding status to once during a benefit year. (SD2)

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More control over unemployment tax withholding: benefit, low. Starting July 1, 2025, people who chose tax withholding from unemployment benefits can change that choice during a benefit year. The law removes the limit of one change per year. This changes withholding flexibility, not benefit amounts or taxes owed.
- Employers lose joint unemployment accounts: cost, low. Starting July 1, 2025, Hawaii labor officials can no longer combine two or more employers’ unemployment contribution accounts to set contribution rates. Employers lose this shared-account option. The law does not specify whether any employer’s contribution rate will rise or fall.
- Job seekers get electronic notices: mixed, low. Beginning April 1, 2027, unemployment notices and appeal papers are sent electronically unless you choose mail. The electronic notice date counts as the mailing date. You generally have 10 days to appeal a decision. The Department can extend that deadline to 30 days for good cause.
- New work-search rules for job seekers: mixed, low. Starting July 1, 2025, people registering for work must give Hawaii labor officials information to support their job search and referrals. The law no longer requires this information to appear on the state job-matching website. Claimants excused from work registration are exempt from work searches…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jackson D. Sayama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mark J. Hashem (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Daniel Holt (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: LA CHICA
- Cosponsor: LAMOSAO
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tyson K. Miyake (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-21 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 43 | 7 |   |
| 2025-04-08 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-01 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 11 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-01 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-12 | Senate | The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-21 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 12 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 48 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-11 | House | The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 6 | 0 |   |

## Actions (37)

- 2025-06-25: Act 214, 06/25/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1316). (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: Act 214, on 06/25/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1316). (House)
- 2025-04-22: Received notice of House agreement and passage on Final Reading (Hse. Com. No. 794). (Senate)
- 2025-04-21: Received notice of House reconsideration of action in disagreeing to the amendments proposed by the Senate (Hse. Com. No. 760). (Senate)
- 2025-04-21: House agrees to Senate amendment(s). (House)
- 2025-04-21: Passed Final Reading as amended in SD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting no (7) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). (House)
- 2025-04-21: Transmitted to Governor. (House)
- 2025-04-17: Reconsideration of action taken on 04-10-25. (House)
- 2025-04-15: Senate Conferees Appointed: Aquino Chair; Elefante, Chang Co-Chairs; Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 790). (House)
- 2025-04-11: Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 704). (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: House disagrees with Senate amendment (s). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 645) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-04-04: Reported from WAM/JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1813) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: 48 Hrs. Notice 04-08-25. (Senate)
- 2025-04-01: 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)
- 2025-04-01: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite, Lee, C.. (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: The committee(s) on WAM/JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-01-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1158) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Ihara, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Moriwaki. (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-12-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Referred to LBT, WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 19). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 831), recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-02-27: Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-02-21: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Miyake, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M., Morikawa, Alcos, Ward. (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Friday, 02-21-25 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-02-13: Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 539) 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)
- 2025-02-11: 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, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-02-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 02-11-25 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 2 (House)
- 2025-01-17: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_SD2_.pdf)
- HB477_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_HD1_.HTM)
- HB477_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_SD1_.HTM)
- HB477_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_SD2_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/GM1316_.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)
- HB 613: RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH. (signed)
- SB 1044: RELATING TO THE STABILIZATION OF PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_SD2_.pdf)
- [HB477_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB477_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_SD1_.HTM)
- [HB477_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_SD2_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB477_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/GM1316_.PDF)

## Related
- [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)
- [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)
- [HB 613: RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB613-2025)
- [SB 1044: RELATING TO THE STABILIZATION OF PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1044-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB477-2025 (as of 2026-10-27).