Hawaii GM 1122: Informing the Legislature that on May 21, 2026, the Governor signed the following bill into law: HB1696 HD2 SD1 CD1 (ACT 022).

Bill Text

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR 
KE KIA'AINA
GOV. MSG. NO. 11
EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS 
KE KE'ENA O KE KIA'AINA
May 21, 2026
The Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi 
President of the Senate, 
and Members of the Senate
Thirty-Third State Legislature 
State Capitol, Room 409 
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
The Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura 
Speaker, and Members of the
House of Representatives 
Thirty-Third State Legislature 
State Capitol, Room 431
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96813
Aloha President Kouchi, Speaker Nakamura, and Members of the Legislature:
This is to inform you that on May 21,2026, the following bill was signed into law:
H.B. NO. 1696, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S
C.D. 1 LICENSES.
ACT 022
Mahalo,
Josh Green, M.D.
Governor, State of Hawai'i

H.B. NO. hT.
C.D. 1
Approved by the Governor
on MAY 2 1 2G26
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE. 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
ACT 022
A BILL FORAN ACT
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
RELATING TO COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 286-102.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is 
amended to read as follows:
" [T] §286-102.3 [-}-] Commercial drivers under the age of 
twenty-one. A person [is qualifiod—t-o] drive commercially
in the State in intrastate commerce if the person:
(1) Is at least [nineteen] eighteen years of age;
(2) Is in compliance with title 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations[7—part 390-396,—subpart B,] parts 390 
through 396, except section 391.11(b)(1) in the case 
of an intrastate driver involved in intrastate 
commerce in the State;
[-F3}- Only ■operates a category 3 vehicle as defined in 
■seetrieft--2-8-6--lr&S--(b^-(-34-^
-(- 44-] (3) [Shall] Does not transport hazardous materials 
[as-defined -in section 28 6-2] , nor passengers in a 
school vehicle as defined in section 286-181; [and]
2026-3363 HB1696 CDl HMSO

Page 2
H.B. NO.
C.D. 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
(4) Has had a category 3 state driver's license for 
the two years immediately preceding driving 
commercially under this section, with the following 
conditions:
(A) Has not had any license suspended, revoked, or 
canceled; and
(B) Has not had any conviction for:
(i) Speeding excessively involving any speed of 
fifteen miles per hour or more above the 
speed limit;
(ii) Driving recklessly, as defined by state or 
local law or regulation, including but not 
limited to offenses of driving a motor 
vehicle in wilful or wanton disregard for 
the safety of person or property;
(iii) Making improper or erratic traffic lane 
changes;
(iv) Following the vehicle ahead too closely; or 
(v) Violating state or local law relating to 
motor vehicle traffic control, excluding 
2026-3363 HB1696 CDl HMSO
2

H.B. NO. ""
C.D. 1
Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
parking violations, arising in connection 
with a fatal accident[—]; and
(5) Is under twenty-one years of age and actively enrolled 
in:
(A) A registered apprenticeship program as determined 
by the department of labor and industrial 
relations; provided that a driver under 
twenty-one years of age shall not operate a 
commercial motor vehicle outside the scope, 
supervision, or duration of the approved training 
or apprenticeship program; or
(B) A structured, on-the-job training program 
administered by the person's employer; provided 
that:
(i) The employer is primarily engaged in a 
trade, business, or industry that requires 
the operation of commercial motor vehicles 
as an incidental and necessary function of 
its operations, and not for the primary 
purpose of providing commercial driver 
training to the general public;
2026-3363 HB1696 GDI HMSO
ininHiiiiiiiHiiiiiii
3

H.B. NO. hT2
C.D. 1
Page 4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
(ii) The training is provided solely to 
individuals who are bona fide employees of 
the employer and is directly related to the 
employee's job duties;
(iii) The employer does not offer, market, or 
provide commercial driver training services 
to the general public for a fee;
(iv) The training includes a minimum of three 
hundred
 twenty hours of supervised, behind- 
the-wheel and related instruction;
(v) The employer maintains written training 
standards, safety protocols, and records of 
training hours and supervision; and
(vi) The driver shall not operate a commercial 
motor
 vehicle outside the scope, 
supervision, or duration of the employer's 
training program.
For the purposes of this paragraph, "registered 
apprenticeship program" means a program approved or 
recognized by, or registered with, the department of labor 
and industrial relations, including programs registered 
2026-3363 HB1696 CDl HMSO
■iHnniiiiiniiHiM

1696
H.D. 2
S.D. 1
C.D. 1
Page 5
H.B. NO.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
pursuant to chapter 372 or other workforce development 
programs authorized by the department of labor and 
industrial relations."
SECTION 2. Section 286-236, Hawaii Revised Stat