# Hawaii SB 2849: RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.

Hawaii SB 2849, RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by SAN BUENAVENTURA; status failed, last action 2026-03-12 (Pass First Reading) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2849-2026
- 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 2849
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-03-12, Pass First Reading
- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Public Agencies, Meetings, Notices, Disabilities, Readability, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (34 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires certain information to appear at the beginning of notices for public meetings, where applicable. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | Senate | The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-03-12: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to JHA, referral sheet 17 (House)
- 2026-03-10: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). 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. 308) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3025) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26. (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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)
- 2026-02-24: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2412) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Moriwaki, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto. (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-05-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Referred to GVO, JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (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/SB2849_SD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_.PDF)
- SB2849_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_SD1_.HTM)
- SB2849_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_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 2866: RELATING TO KUPUNA HOUSING. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_SD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_.PDF)
- [SB2849_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB2849_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2849_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 2866: RELATING TO KUPUNA HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2866-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2849-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).