# Hawaii SB 3251: RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Hawaii SB 3251, RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Chris Lee (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1459-26), recommending referral to JHA.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB3251-2026
- 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 3251
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-28
- Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1459-26), recommending referral to JHA.
- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Subjects: ICE, DLE, DLNR, DoTax, ATG, Border Patrol, Law Enforcement, State Employment, Prohibition, ECD, LAB, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (86 yes, 13 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Prohibits the Department of Law Enforcement, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Taxation, and Department of the Attorney General from appointing or employing certain former United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Border Patrol agents and employees as law enforcement officers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: C.
- Cosponsor: Brandon J.C. Elefante (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Carol Fukunaga (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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-24 | House | The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 6 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-20 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB... | pass | 42 | 7 |   |
| 2026-03-18 | House | The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 6 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 22 | 3 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 1 |   |

## Actions (24)

- 2026-03-30: Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1459-26), recommending referral to JHA. (House)
- 2026-03-30: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Reyes Oda, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (6) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4). (House)
- 2026-03-24: The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Kong, Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1271-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB with Representative(s) Cochran, Reyes Oda, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (7) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). (House)
- 2026-03-20: Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-18: The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam, Templo, Yamashita; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Gedeon; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-03-12: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to ECD, LAB, JHA, referral sheet 17 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Wednesday, 03-18-26 8:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-10: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Keohokalole, Kim, McKelvey, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 391) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3095) 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, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) San Buenaventura ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-05-26 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Reported from PSM/LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2530) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Moriwaki ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara. (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye. (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: The committee(s) on PSM/LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Referred to PSM/LBT, JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Introduced. (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Passed First Reading. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_.PDF)
- SB3251_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_HD1_.HTM)
- SB3251_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_SD1_.HTM)
- SB3251_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_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 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_.PDF)
- [SB3251_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB3251_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB3251_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3251_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 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
- [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-SB3251-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).