Hawaii legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii HB2433: Relating to the Hawaiian Language.
Status: Passed one chamber, April 28, 2026
Requires that the Hawaiian version of a law be held binding if the law in question was originally drafted in Hawaiian, or if the law was originally drafted in English and if the law was subsequently amended, codified, recodified, or reenacted in Hawaiian, and meets certain criteria.
What the bill says
A bill for an act relating to the hawaiian language.
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE. SECTION 1. The legislature finds that at the Constitutional Convention of Hawaii of 1978, the committee on Hawaiian affairs proposed the constitutional amendment that is now enshrined in article XV, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution, which establishes Hawaiian as an official language of the State. The committee felt it necessary to include this amendment in the constitution "to give full recognition and honor to the rich cultural inheritance that Hawaiians have given to all ethnic groups of the State". The legislature further finds that passage of this Act would contribute to the growing international movement for the protection of the rights of the world's indigenous peoples. In 2007, the United Nations adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In 2010, the United States announced its support of the Declaration. Article 13 of the Declaration states: 2026-2153 HB2433 SDl SMA.docx ■HliniRBUimillllBB Page 2 H.B. NO. H^i "1. Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures, and to designate and retain their own names for communities, places and persons. 2. States shall take effective measures to ensure that this right is protected and also to ensure that indigenous peoples can …
Sponsors
- Mahina Poepoe (D, 13) · primary sponsor
- Terez Amato (D, 11)
- Luke Evslin (D, 16)
- Tina Grandinetti (D, 20)
- Hartsfield, Daisy (D, 36)
- Daniel Holt (D, 28)
- Ikaika Hussey (D, 29)
- Linda Ichiyama (D, 31)
- Kim Iwamoto (D, 25)
- Susan Keohokapu-Lee Loy (D, 2)
- Darius Kila (D, 44)
- Amy Perruso (D, 46)
Latest actions
- : Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 841).
- : House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Perruso, Poepoe, Garcia.
- : Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).
- : House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
- : Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 691) in amended form (SD 1).
- : Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
- : 48 Hrs. Notice 04-14-26.
- : Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3761) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 1).
- : 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, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.
- : The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
Votes
- Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1) (April 14, 2026): 25 yea, 0 nay, passed
- JDC: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (April 7, 2026): 4 yea, 0 nay, passed
- HWN: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED (March 24, 2026): 3 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2) (March 10, 2026): 49 yea, 0 nay, 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) Perruso excused (1) (March 5, 2026): 50 yea, 0 nay, passed
- JHA: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (February 12, 2026): 8 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Report, The Hawaiian Language
Common questions
- What is HB2433?
- HB2433 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to the Hawaiian Language.
- What does HB2433 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act relating to the hawaiian language.
- What is the status of HB2433?
- Passed one chamber as of April 28, 2026. Latest action: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 841). (April 28, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB2433?
- Mahina Poepoe (D, 13), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB2433?
- On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2433&year=2026
Source: official Hawaii record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.