# Hawaii SB 2203: RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Hawaii SB 2203, RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Stanley Chang (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-27 (Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Chang, Gabbard.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2203-2026
- 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 2203
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-27, Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Chang, Gabbard.
- Sponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 8
- Subjects: Penal Code, Law Enforcement, Mask, Facial Covering, Prohibition, Criminal Offense, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (114 yes, 23 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Establishes the offense of use of a mask or facial covering by a law enforcement officer. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brandon J.C. Elefante (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dru Mamo Kanuha (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sharon Y. Moriwaki (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-14 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 42 | 8 |   |
| 2026-04-09 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 41 | 8 |   |
| 2026-04-02 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 5 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 22 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |

## Actions (27)

- 2026-04-27: Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Chang, Gabbard. (Senate)
- 2026-04-27: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 783). (House)
- 2026-04-16: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 635). (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 with Representative(s) Cochran voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-04-09: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1976-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-04-09: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Kila voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Kong, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). (House)
- 2026-04-02: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: none; 3 Noes: Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Sayama. (House)
- 2026-03-31: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-20: Referred to JHA, referral sheet 14 (House)
- 2026-02-18: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2026-02-17: Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 5) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2026-02-13: Floor Amendment No. 1 offered. (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Floor amendment adopted as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: 48 Hrs. Notice 02-17-26 (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2160) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1). (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: 48 Hrs. Notice 02-13-26. (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: 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, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 02-05-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Re-Referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Referred to PSM/EIG, 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/SB2203_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_.PDF)
- SB2203_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_HD1_.HTM)
- SB2203_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_SD1_.HTM)
- SB2203_SD1_SFA1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_SD1_SFA1_.HTM)
- SB2203_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_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/SB2203_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_.PDF)
- [SB2203_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB2203_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB2203_SD1_SFA1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_SD1_SFA1_.HTM)
- [SB2203_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2203_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)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2203-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).