SB 2138 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD STATE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Summary

Authorizes the Adjutant General to expand the Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program to include graduate degrees at the University of Hawaii for qualified enlisted personnel in the Hawaii National Guard. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Education ✓ Veterans

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Signed May 29, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2138_CD1 → SB2138_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from a Senate version to a House version, updating the author and metadata. The most significant substantive change is the effective date, which was moved from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 3000, effectively delaying the implementation of the program indefinitely. Additionally, a specific note was added to the text confirming the new effective date.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the expansion of tuition assistance remains the same, but the timeline for implementation has been drastically altered.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 3000.

TECHNICAL

A parenthetical note was added to the text explicitly stating the new effective date of 7/1/3000.

The bill author was changed from Ainoa Naniole to Steven Lum, and the document type was updated from Senate to House.

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

Amendments

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

lower

May 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.

upper

May 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 98-26) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

May 1, 2026

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.

upper

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 98-26).

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Garrett, Morikawa, Iwamoto, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kim, Lee, C.; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-29-26 1:45PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

Apr 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-27-26 1:45PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

Apr 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-26 1:40PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-23-26 4:00PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 629).

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1496-26), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Evslin, Woodson, Muraoka.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1211-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HED.

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama.

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to PBS, HED, FIN, referral sheet 16

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 41).

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Feb 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:57AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from PSM/EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2379) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in EDU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Fukunaga, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto.

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Inouye.

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM/EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 3:02PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Committee

Referred to PSM/EDU, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

5 primary · 3 co-sponsors