# Hawaii SB 1545: RELATING TO NEPOTISM.

Hawaii SB 1545, RELATING TO NEPOTISM., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Donna Mercado Kim (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-SB1545-2026
- 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 1545
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO NEPOTISM.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: Legislative and Judicial Employees, Code of Ethics, Nepotism, Prohibition, LMG, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (77 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Repeals language in the State's Code of Ethics that exempts the legislative and judicial branches from prohibitions against nepotism in public employment. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kurt Fevella (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mike Gabbard (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-21 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 46 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-19 | House | The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-07 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (17)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-21: Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1433) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2025-03-21: 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, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5). (House)
- 2025-03-19: The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Holt, Quinlan, Ichiyama, Morikawa; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Matsumoto. (House)
- 2025-03-17: Bill scheduled to be heard by LMG on Wednesday, 03-19-25 2:45PM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-02-28: Referred to LMG, JHA, referral sheet 17 (House)
- 2025-02-27: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-02-19: Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 3 (Senator(s) Gabbard, Kouchi, Richards). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 15). (House)
- 2025-02-18: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 698) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: One Day Notice 02-19-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: 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)
- 2025-01-31: The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 9:25AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to 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/SB1545_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1545_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1545_.PDF)
- SB1545_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1545_HD1_.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/SB1545_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1545_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1545_.PDF)
- [SB1545_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1545_HD1_.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-SB1545-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).