At a glance: committee votes and committee actions from March 23, 2026 hearing

The Senate Committee on Labor and Technology (joint with Commerce & Consumer Protection for some items) completed decision‑making on six bills on March 23, 2026. The chair’s recommendations were adopted for each item; the committee recorded the following outcomes:

- HB2455 HD2 (employment practices): Passed with technical and non‑substantive amendments; effective date deferred to Jan. 1, 2077. (Transcript recorded committee adoption.)

- HB2165 HD2 (Hawaii Employment Security Law): Passed with DLIR‑proposed amendments and restoration of language related to labor disputes; effective date deferred to Jan. 1, 2077. (See separate article for details.)

- HB1509 HD2 (workers' compensation — treatment approvals): Passed with amendments reverting some approvals from 10 days to seven days per IBEW testimony and striking a proposed $500 fine; effective date deferred to Jan. 1, 2077.

- HB1515 HD2 (workers' compensation): Passed with amendments adopting suggested changes from the American Physical Therapy Association (Hawaii) related to functional capacity examinations; effective date deferred to Jan. 1, 2077.

- HB1514 HD2 (workers' compensation — vocational rehab timelines): Passed with amendments; committee preserved director discretion to extend vocational rehabilitation plans beyond 120 days when appropriate; effective date deferred to Jan. 1, 2077.

- HB2458 HD3 (surveillance pricing): Converted into a study request for DCCA and OCP to examine definitions, enforcement and resource needs; appropriation for the study was left blank; effective date deferred to Jan. 1, 2077.

- HB2137 HD3 (artificial intelligence): Passed with adoption of Attorney General and industry amendments to delete or clarify ambiguous language and narrow liability; effective date deferred to Jan. 1, 2077.

Several votes were recorded verbally at the dais with 'chair votes aye' and other senators recorded as 'aye' or excused; the transcript lists specific members recorded as voting for each recommendation.