# Hawaii SB 1523: RELATING TO PRIVATE SECTOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS.

Hawaii SB 1523, RELATING TO PRIVATE SECTOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1523-2026
- 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 1523
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO PRIVATE SECTOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: DLIR, HLRB, Hawaii Employment Relations Act, Collective Bargaining, Private Sector Workers' Rights, Labor, Unionization, Protections, Appropriations, LBT, JDC/WAM
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (5 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Expands the types of employees protected by the Hawaii Employment Relations Act to include independent contractors and all individuals subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: AQUINO
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Carol Fukunaga (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lorraine R. Inouye (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (9)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-02-12: Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 402) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Re-Referred to LBT, JDC/WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Aquino, Lee, C., Ihara, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-25 3:15PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to 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/session2026/bills/SB1523_SD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1523_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1523_.PDF)
- SB1523_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1523_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/SB1523_SD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1523_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1523_.PDF)
- [SB1523_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1523_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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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1523-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).