# Hawaii SB 1478: RELATING TO COMMERCIAL HARBORS.

Hawaii SB 1478, RELATING TO COMMERCIAL HARBORS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Ronald D. Kouchi (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1478-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 1478
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO COMMERCIAL HARBORS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Ronald D. Kouchi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Department of Transportation, Commercial Harbor, Evacuation Orders, Emergencies, TRN, PBS, JHA
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (47 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires masters or persons in charge of vessels to follow an order by a harbor master to evacuate a commercial harbor in emergencies. Establishes higher penalties for noncompliance. Authorizes fines collected for violations of this requirement as moneys to be paid into the Special Harbor Fund. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Ronald D. Kouchi (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-06 | Senate | The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (17)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to TRN, PBS, JHA, 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. 349) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from JDC/WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 933) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: One Day Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: 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)
- 2025-02-27: 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)
- 2025-02-25: The committee(s) on JDC/WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-27-25 10:25AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Reported from TCA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 250) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye. (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: The committee(s) on TCA has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to TCA, JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_SD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_.PDF)
- SB1478_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_SD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

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

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_SD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_.PDF)
- [SB1478_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1478_SD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1478-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).