# Hawaii SB 2661: RELATING TO NEPOTISM.

Hawaii SB 2661, RELATING TO NEPOTISM., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1494-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2661-2026
- 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 2661
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO NEPOTISM.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1494-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: Legislature, Judiciary, Code of Ethics, Nepotism, Prohibition, LMG, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (79 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Subjects all nominated, appointed, or elected officers and employees of the State, including members of boards, commissions, and committees; individuals under contract to the State or constitutional convention; and legislators, delegates to a constitutional convention, and justices and judges, and their respective employees, to nepotism prohibitions in the State's Code of Ethics. 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: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jarrett Keohokalole (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sharon Y. Moriwaki (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joy A. San Buenaventura (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 46 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-23 | House | The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (18)

- 2026-03-30: Reported from LMG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1494-26) 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; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4). (House)
- 2026-03-23: The committee on LMG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Kahaloa, Morikawa, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Bill scheduled to be heard by LMG on Monday, 03-23-26 2:30PM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-12: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to LMG, JHA, referral sheet 17 (House)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 276) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2026-03-05: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2811) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1). (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: 48 Hrs. Notice 3/10/2026. (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: 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, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang. (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 02-20-26 9:45AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Re-Referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Referred to GVO, JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_.PDF)
- SB2661_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_HD1_.HTM)
- SB2661_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_SD1_.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/SB2661_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_.PDF)
- [SB2661_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB2661_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2661_SD1_.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-SB2661-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).