# Hawaii SB 2876: RELATING TO NATURAL HAIR BRAIDING.

Hawaii SB 2876, RELATING TO NATURAL HAIR BRAIDING., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-03 (Act 074, 06/03/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1174).); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2876-2026
- 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 2876
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO NATURAL HAIR BRAIDING.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-06-03, Act 074, 06/03/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1174).
- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, Natural Hair Braiding, Exemption from Licensure, Registration, Sanitation, Health, and Safety Practices, CPC
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (195 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Requires natural hair braiders to be registered, rather than licensed, under the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. By 11/1/2026, requires the Board to adopt rules prescribing the approved courses or programs that cover sanitation, health, and safety practices required for natural hair braiding. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Service limits and fines for braiders: cost, medium. Natural hair braiders cannot provide services that require a separate barbering or cosmetology license or permit. They cannot advertise in a way that misleads customers into thinking they offer those licensed services. A citation can bring up to $500 per violation; a written hearing request is due…
- Hair braiders face new registration rules: mixed, medium. Starting January 1, 2028, Hawaii natural hair braiders must register. People with a chapter 439A license or permit are exempt. Braiding includes extensions, wig-making, and related topical products, but not chemical treatments or chemical hair-joining. By November 1, 2026, the board must set approv…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lynn DeCoite (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Samantha DeCorte (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-05-06 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 51 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-29 | Senate | The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-29 | House | The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments.... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-14 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 51 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-09 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-31 | House | The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 24 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (38)

- 2026-06-03: Act 074, 06/03/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1174). (Senate)
- 2026-06-03: Act 074, on 06/03/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1174). (House)
- 2026-05-08: Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888). (Senate)
- 2026-05-08: Enrolled to Governor. (Senate)
- 2026-05-06: Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-05-06: Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-05-06: Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816). (House)
- 2026-04-29: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 873). (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lamosao, Keohokalole, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-04-29: Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 91-26). (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26. (Senate)
- 2026-04-29: Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 91-26) as amended in (CD 1). (House)
- 2026-04-29: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26. (House)
- 2026-04-28: House Conferees Appointed: Matayoshi Chair; Grandinetti, Pierick. (House)
- 2026-04-28: Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-29-26 3:45PM in conference room 224. (House)
- 2026-04-23: Senate Conferees Appointed: Lamosao Chair; Keohokalole Co-Chair; Awa. (Senate)
- 2026-04-23: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 740). (House)
- 2026-04-16: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 711). (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 none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-04-09: Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1970-26) 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 none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). (House)
- 2026-03-31: The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Iwamoto, Kong, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Lowen. (House)
- 2026-03-27: Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 03-31-26 2:05PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-10: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2026-03-10: Referred to CPC, referral sheet 16 (House)
- 2026-03-06: Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 83). (House)
- 2026-03-05: Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2799) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: One Day Notice 03-06-26. (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Lamosao, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: The committee(s) on CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-25-26 9:32AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Referred to CPN. (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/SB2876_CD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2876_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/GM1174_.PDF)
- SB2876_CD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2876_CD1_.HTM)
- SB2876_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2876_HD1_.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/SB2876_CD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2876_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/GM1174_.PDF)
- [SB2876_CD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2876_CD1_.HTM)
- [SB2876_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2876_HD1_.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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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2876-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).