# Hawaii SB 121: PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, SECTION 3, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW THE SENATE MORE TIME TO CONFIRM JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS.

Hawaii SB 121, PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, SECTION 3, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW THE SENATE MORE TIME TO CONFIRM JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status passed house, last action 2025-04-04 (Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1965), recommending passage on Third Reading.) (as of 2026-10-28).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB121-2025
- As of: 2026-10-28
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 121
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI, SECTION 3, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW THE SENATE MORE TIME TO CONFIRM JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS.
- Status: passed house
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-10
- Last action: 2025-04-04, Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1965), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Justices and Judges, Appointment, Confirmation, Constitutional Amendment, JHA, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (153 yes, 12 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Proposes an amendment to the Hawaii State Constitution to extend the amount of time allowed the Senate to consider and act on the appointments of justices and judges from thirty to sixty days for appointments made between April 1 and December 31 when the Senate is not in Regular Session or is about to adjourn the Regular Session.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dru Mamo Kanuha (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-04 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 43 | 6 |   |
| 2025-03-31 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-18 | House | Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representativ... | pass | 45 | 4 |   |
| 2025-03-11 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 8 | 2 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-26 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 2025-04-04: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1965), recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (6) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kapela excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 560). (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: Enrolled to Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Alcos, Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Holt, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-28: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 03-31-25 3:15PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-18: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1291), recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-03-18: Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos, Matsumoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (4) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-03-11: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran. (House)
- 2025-03-10: Notice of bill proposing constitutional amendment transmitted to Governor pursuant to Article XVII, Section 3 (Sen. Com. No. 1). (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 91). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 852) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: One Day Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:04AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 12) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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)
- 2025-01-22: The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-25 9:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Referred to JDC, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-10: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB121_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB121_.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
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB121_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB121_.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB121-2025 (as of 2026-10-28).