SB 711 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS.

Summary

Requires any appointment of a person by the Governor to serve in the Executive Branch in the position of an advisor to be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate if that person's salary is greater than $200,000, and is not paid from the Governor's budget. Requires the Governor to transmit Governor's Messages to the Senate President containing nominations for each gubernatorial appointee who was appointed to their advisor position before the effective date of this Act and whose salary is greater than $200,000, and is not paid from the Governor's budget. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB711 → SB711_SD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to specifically target 'advisors' rather than all executive branch appointees, raising the Senate confirmation salary threshold from a relative comparison (equal to the Governor or department head) to a fixed annual salary of $200,000. Additionally, the confirmation requirement now explicitly excludes positions funded by the Governor's budget. The effective date was delayed significantly to January 1, 2491, and the bill was renumbered to SD1.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from applying to all salaried executive branch appointees to applying only to those serving as 'advisors' with salaries exceeding $200,000 who are not paid from the Governor's budget.

SCOPE

Changed the target of Senate confirmation from general executive branch appointees to specifically those serving in the position of an 'advisor'.

ELIGIBILITY

Replaced the salary threshold criteria with a fixed annual salary of $200,000 instead of comparing the salary to the Governor's or department head's salary.

Added an explicit exemption for positions whose salary is paid from the Governor's budget.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'person appointed by the governor' to specifically reference the new 'advisor' position context.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from immediate approval to January 1, 2491.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata including the author's name, bill type (SD1), and revision numbers.

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

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 316) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard, Fevella.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to GVO, JDC.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors