# Hawaii SB 716: RELATING TO HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW.

Hawaii SB 716, RELATING TO HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by AQUINO; status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB716-2026
- 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 716
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO HAWAII EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: AQUINO
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: DLIR, Hawaii Employment Security Law, Unemployment Benefits, Registration for Work, Electronic Notice, Waiver, Deregulation, LAB, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 6 (99 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Expands the circumstances where the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations may waive the requirements for individuals to register to work and report to an employment office to be eligible for unemployment benefits. Authorize the Department to allow individuals to report to a location other than an employment office or other location approved pursuant to its rules. Beginning 4/1/2027, requires notices of determinations and documentation relating to appeals to be sent electronically, unless the election for mail is made. Allows an individual to change an elected withholding status more than once during a benefit year. Amends the statutory definition of "registered for work" or "registration for work". Repeals the requirement for individuals to post their work availability online to be eligible for unemployment benefits. Repeals the statutory provision for joint experience rating. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: AQUINO
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kurt Fevella (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sharon Y. Moriwaki (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-18 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 48 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-13 | House | The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 6 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |

## Actions (21)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-18: Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1324) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-03-18: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-03-13: The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-03-10: Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Thursday, 03-13-25 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to LAB, 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. 185) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from WAM/JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 842) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: 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, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on WAM/JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 10:16AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Reported from LBT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 51) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: 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) Aquino, Lee, C., Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Moriwaki. (Senate)
- 2025-01-24: The committee(s) on LBT has scheduled a public hearing on 01-29-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to LBT, WAM/JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_.PDF)
- SB716_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_HD1_.HTM)
- SB716_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_SD1_.HTM)
- SB716_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_.PDF)
- [SB716_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB716_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB716_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB716_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [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-SB716-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).