---
type: "Bill"
title: "RELATING TO ELECTIONS."
description: "Enacts voting by mail uniformly across all counties for all elections commencing in 2020. Establishes a limited number of voter service centers that would remain open from the tenth business day preceding an election through the day of the election to receive personal delivery of mail-in ballots, accommodate voters with special needs, offer same day registration and voting, and provide other election services. Allows for additional places of deposit for personal delivery of mail-in ballots. Appropriates funds for the implementation and administration of the election by mail program. Requires the Office of Elections to submit a report to the legislature before the convening of each regular session from 2020 through 2025, regarding the implementation of a vote by mail system. (HB1248 CD1)"
jurisdiction: "us/states/hi"
legislature: "Hawaii Legislature"
session: "2019 Regular Session"
identifier: "HB 1248"
citation: "Hawaii HB 1248 (2019 Regular Session)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Voting by Mail", "Voter Service Centers", "Places of Deposit", "Appropriations ($)"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["SAIKI"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 49
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2019-01-23"
last_action: "2019-06-28"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/54a1b7d3-8586-4ea4-80e1-16ceebc69811"
source_url: "http://capitol.hawaii.gov/Archives/measure_indiv_Archives8-12.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1248&year=2019"
source_hash: "34289e147acd2c812711942fc0ffb7fa59e0684ea86701cd843eb4cdfb8819c1"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-hi"]
---

# Hawaii HB 1248 (2019 Regular Session) — RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Enacts voting by mail uniformly across all counties for all elections commencing in 2020. Establishes a limited number of voter service centers that would remain open from the tenth business day preceding an election through the day of the election to receive personal delivery of mail-in ballots, accommodate voters with special needs, offer same day registration and voting, and provide other election services. Allows for additional places of deposit for personal delivery of mail-in ballots. Appropriates funds for the implementation and administration of the election by mail program. Requires the Office of Elections to submit a report to the legislature before the convening of each regular session from 2020 through 2025, regarding the implementation of a vote by mail system. (HB1248 CD1)

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **HB1248** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/HB1248_.HTM)
2. **HB1248_CD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/HB1248_CD1_.HTM)
3. **HB1248_HD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/HB1248_HD1_.HTM)
4. **HB1248_SD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/HB1248_SD1_.HTM)
5. **HB1248_SD2** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/HB1248_SD2_.HTM)

## Votes

- The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **3–1** (pass) · upper
- The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. — **4–0** (pass) · lower
- The committees on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **14–0** (pass) · lower
- The committees on JUD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **9–0** (pass) · lower
- The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **9–0** (pass) · upper
- The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **4–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- SAIKI — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2019-01-23** Pending introduction.
- **2019-01-24** Introduced and Pass First Reading. `introduction, reading-1`
- **2019-01-28** Referred to JUD, FIN, referral sheet 6 `referral-committee`
- **2019-01-29** Bill scheduled to be heard by JUD on Thursday, 01-31-19 2:00PM in House conference room 325.
- **2019-01-31** The committee(s) on JUD recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-01-19.
- **2019-01-31** Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 02-01-19 2:01PM in conference room 325.
- **2019-02-01** The committee(s) on JUD recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-08-19.
- **2019-02-05** Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 02-08-19 2:00PM in conference room 325.
- **2019-02-08** The committees on JUD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) C. Lee, San Buenaventura, Brower, Creagan, Lowen, Morikawa, Say, Takayama, Yamane; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) McKelvey, Thielen. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-02-15** Reported from JUD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 755) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- **2019-02-15** Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Okimoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Aquino, DeCoite, Nakamura, Quinlan, Thielen excused (5). `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2019-02-16** Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 02-21-19 1:30PM in House conference room 308.
- **2019-02-20** The committees on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Luke, Cullen, Eli, Gates, Holt, Kitagawa, B. Kobayashi, Matayoshi, Nakamura, Nishimoto, Wildberger, Yamashita, McDermott; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Hashimoto; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Todd. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-03-01** Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 971), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- **2019-03-01** Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Matsumoto, Okimoto, Ward voting no (3) and Representative(s) DeCoite excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. `passage`
- **2019-03-05** Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 273). `introduction`
- **2019-03-05** Passed First Reading. `reading-1`
- **2019-03-05** Referred to JDC, WAM. `referral-committee`
- **2019-03-11** The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-14-19 9:30AM in conference room 016.
- **2019-03-14** The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) K. Rhoads, Wakai, Gabbard, Kim; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-03-22** Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1377) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- **2019-03-22** Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
- **2019-04-01** The committee(s) on WAM has scheduled a public hearing on 04-04-19 1:40PM in conference room 211.
- **2019-04-04** The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 9 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Keith-Agaran, Inouye, K. Kahele, Kanuha, Kidani, Moriwaki, Riviere, Shimabukuro; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 4 Excused: Senator(s) English, Harimoto, Taniguchi, Fevella. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-04-05** Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2015) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
- **2019-04-05** 48 Hrs. Notice 04-09-19.
- **2019-04-09** Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Fevella). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Kidani). Transmitted to House. `passage`
- **2019-04-09** Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 840) in amended form (SD 2).
- **2019-04-11** House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
- **2019-04-12** Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 804).
- **2019-04-15** House Conferees Appointed: C. Lee, Luke Co-Chairs; Cullen, Thielen.
- **2019-04-15** Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 808).
- **2019-04-16** Senate Conferees Appointed: K. Rhoads Chair; Keith-Agaran Co-Chair; Kim, Fevella.
- **2019-04-16** Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 902).
- **2019-04-17** Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Thursday, 04-18-19 3:35PM in conference room 325.
- **2019-04-18** Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-23-19 3:01PM in conference room 325.
- **2019-04-23** The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) C. Lee, Luke, Cullen, Thielen; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
- **2019-04-23** 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) K. Rhoads, Keith-Agaran, Kim; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella; and 0 Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-04-26** Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 154) as amended in (CD 1).
- **2019-04-26** Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-30-19.
- **2019-04-26** Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 154).
- **2019-04-26** 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-19.
- **2019-04-30** Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
- **2019-04-30** Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Ward voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Matsumoto, Okimoto voting no (2) and none excused (0).
- **2019-05-01** Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 968).
- **2019-05-02** Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 883).
- **2019-05-01** Transmitted to Governor.
- **2019-06-28** Act 136, on 06/25/2019 (Gov. Msg. No. 1238). `executive-signature`
- **2019-06-28** Act 136, 06/25/2019 (Gov. Msg. No. 1238). `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/54a1b7d3-8586-4ea4-80e1-16ceebc69811`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Hawaii legislature records).