# Hawaii SB 2151: RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Hawaii SB 2151, RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-16 (Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 632).) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2151-2026
- 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 2151
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-16, Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 632).
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: Emergency Management, State of Emergency, Local State of Emergency, PBS, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (141 yes, 4 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Clarifies state and local authority during a state or local state of emergency. Clarifies and limits the suspension of laws and access to records during an emergency. Defines "catastrophic harm" and "severe weather warning". Amends the definitions of "disaster" and "emergency" under emergency management laws. Allows the Legislature to terminate a state of emergency and county councils to terminate a local state of emergency. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sharon Y. Moriwaki (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-14 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-08 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 45 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-27 | House | The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 6 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 24 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | Senate | The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (32)

- 2026-04-16: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 632). (Senate)
- 2026-04-16: Senate disagrees with House amendments. (Senate)
- 2026-04-16: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710). (House)
- 2026-04-14: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-04-10: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2127-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-04-10: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26. (House)
- 2026-04-08: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama, Cochran. (House)
- 2026-04-06: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 04-08-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-30: Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1563-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2026-03-30: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Souza voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4). (House)
- 2026-03-27: The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Woodson; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Souza; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa, Poepoe. (House)
- 2026-03-25: The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-27-26 11:00AM. (House)
- 2026-03-25: Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 03-27-26 11:00AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-20: The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-25-26 11:00AM. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 03-25-26 11:00AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-18: Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Friday, 03-20-26 10:30AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-12: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 17 (House)
- 2026-03-10: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Gabbard. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 182) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3099) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26. (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Gabbard ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 03-05-26 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-24-26 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2131) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Inouye, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto. (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-01-22: Referred to PSM, JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_HD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_.PDF)
- SB2151_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_HD1_.HTM)
- SB2151_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_HD2_.HTM)
- SB2151_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_SD1_.HTM)
- SB2151_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2031: RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_HD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_.PDF)
- [SB2151_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB2151_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_HD2_.HTM)
- [SB2151_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB2151_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2151_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [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 2031: RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2031-2026)
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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2151-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).