# Hawaii SB 353: RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

Hawaii SB 353, RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status passed house, last action 2025-04-10 (Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 643).) (as of 2026-10-28).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB353-2025
- As of: 2026-10-28
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 353
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
- Status: passed house
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-14
- Last action: 2025-04-10, Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 643).
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Emergency Management, State of Emergency, PBS, JHA, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Amends emergency management laws to clarify state and county authority. Prohibits the Governor or Mayor from suspending requests for records or vital records and statistics during a state of emergency. Adds definition of the term "severe weather warning". Allows the Legislature and county councils to terminate a state of emergency after thirty days, in whole or in part, issued by the Governor or Mayor, respectively. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brandon J.C. Elefante (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (35)

- 2025-04-10: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 643). (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Senate disagrees with House amendments. (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 779). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1984) as amended in HD 3, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-08-25. (House)
- 2025-04-01: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos. (House)
- 2025-04-01: Reconsideration of action taken on Tuesday, 04-01-25. (House)
- 2025-04-01: The votes in FIN were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos. (House)
- 2025-04-01: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos. (House)
- 2025-03-28: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-01-25 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-21: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1458) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-03-21: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5). (House)
- 2025-03-18: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1243) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2025-03-14: 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, Holt, Iwamoto, Ward excused (4). (House)
- 2025-03-14: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-18-25 2:15PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-12: The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Lamosao, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson. (House)
- 2025-03-10: Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 03-12-25 10:45AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to PBS, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: 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)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 142) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-27: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 734) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Awa. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 02-12-25 9:50AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-11-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 37) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, Fukunaga, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-01-24: The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 01-27-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to PSM, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-14: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD3_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_.PDF)
- SB353_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD1_.HTM)
- SB353_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD2_.HTM)
- SB353_HD3: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD3_.HTM)
- SB353_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_SD1_.HTM)
- SB353_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD3_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_.PDF)
- [SB353_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB353_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD2_.HTM)
- [SB353_HD3 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_HD3_.HTM)
- [SB353_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB353_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB353_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB353-2025 (as of 2026-10-28).