HB 229 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Summary

Restricts motor vehicles that tow a motor vehicle or trailer from the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes going in the same direction with exemptions. Specifies penalties for restricted motor vehicles who drive in the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes moving in the same direction. Applies restrictions and penalties to a county with a population of 500,000 or more. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Issues: ✗ Transportation

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB229_HD1 → HB229_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised to shift its focus from regulating speed limits for heavy vehicles to prohibiting oversized commercial vehicles and those towing trailers from using the far left lane on roads with three or more lanes. This change alters the primary safety restriction from a speed-based rule to a lane-usage rule, while also updating the definition of 'commercial vehicle' to explicitly exclude buses and van pools. The penalty section was modified to remove specific dollar amounts, leaving them blank for the Senate to fill in, and the effective date was updated to reflect the Senate's version.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from a statewide speed restriction applicable to counties with 500,000+ residents to a lane-usage restriction for oversized vehicles and those towing trailers on multi-lane roads within those same counties.

REQUIREMENT

The core restriction changed from a speed limit (50+ mph or 5 mph under the limit) to a prohibition on driving in the far left lane unless overtaking or maintaining traffic flow.

ELIGIBILITY

New exemptions were added for vehicles turning left, exiting, public transit, school buses, and authorized emergency vehicles.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'commercial vehicle' was updated to align with existing statutes and explicitly exclude buses and van pools.

ENFORCEMENT

Specific fine amounts were removed from the penalty section, leaving placeholders for the Senate to determine the exact fines.

TECHNICAL

Metadata, report titles, and statutory formatting instructions were updated to reflect the Senate version (SD1) instead of the House version (HD1).

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 21, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from TCA/EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1344) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TCA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TCA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TCA/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 03-13-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to TCA/EIG, JDC.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 201).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Shimizu, Souza voting no (4) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Kahaloa.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 381) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Cochran, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

3 primary · 1 co-sponsor