# Hawaii SB 1496: RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.

Hawaii SB 1496, RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by SAN BUENAVENTURA; status passed house, last action 2025-04-15 (Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 731).) (as of 2026-10-28).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1496-2025
- 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 1496
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
- Status: passed house
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Last action: 2025-04-15, Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 731).
- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: Discrimination in Public Accommodations, Persons with Disabilities, Discriminatory Practices, Places of Public Accommodation, HSH, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Makes it an unlawful discriminatory practice for places of public accommodation to deny a person with a disability full and equal enjoyment of, or information related to, their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations using information and communication technology intended for use by the general public as applicants, participants, customers, clients, or visitors. Establishes exceptions. Clarifies that a facility is considered a place of public accommodation regardless of whether its presence in the State is physical or digital. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Carol Fukunaga (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lorraine R. Inouye (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (30)

- 2025-04-15: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 731). (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: House Conferees Appointed: Marten, Poepoe Co-Chairs; Garcia. (House)
- 2025-04-08: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 614). (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Senate disagrees with House amendments. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 774). (House)
- 2025-04-04: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-02: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1777) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-04-02: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 04-04-25. (House)
- 2025-03-25: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kahaloa. (House)
- 2025-03-21: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-25-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-18: Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1341) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2025-03-18: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-03-13: The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Thursday, 03-13-25 10:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to HSH, 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. 354) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1041) 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 JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa. (Senate)
- 2025-02-21: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 9:40AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from HHS/LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 530) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: 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) Aquino, Lee, C., Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on HHS/LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to HHS/LBT, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_HD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_.PDF)
- SB1496_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_HD1_.HTM)
- SB1496_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_HD2_.HTM)
- SB1496_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_SD1_.HTM)

## 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/SB1496_HD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_.PDF)
- [SB1496_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB1496_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_HD2_.HTM)
- [SB1496_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1496_SD1_.HTM)

## 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-SB1496-2025 (as of 2026-10-28).