---
type: "Bill"
title: "RELATING TO VISAS."
description: "Establishes uniform statewide requirements for policies and processes for the issuance of U or T visa certifications for noncitizen victims of crime that are consistent with federal laws and regulations governing U and T visas. Requires each state and county certifying entity to adopt a policy and process for the issuance of U or T visa certifications, consistent with those statewide requirements. (CD1)"
jurisdiction: "us/states/hi"
legislature: "Hawaii Legislature"
session: "2026"
identifier: "HB 1838"
citation: "Hawaii HB 1838 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["AG", "Certifying Entities", "Certifying Officials", "Policies and Processes", "Training ($)", "U or T Visa Certification", "Uniform Statewide Requirements"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["AMATO", "BELATTI", "GEDEON", "HUSSEY", "ILAGAN", "IWAMOTO", "KUSCH", "MARTEN", "OLDS", "POEPOE", "SAYAMA", "SHIMIZU", "SOUZA"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 53
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2026-01-22"
last_action: "2026-06-24"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c559ade8-4f4d-40a4-a5f9-981d0e1ec54f"
source_url: "https://capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1838&year=2026"
source_hash: "0bdae63c6edaa5f373b1e3f088fbb05301df46bb9117767ce1409803e0c207a6"
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 1838 (2026) — RELATING TO VISAS.

Establishes uniform statewide requirements for policies and processes for the issuance of U or T visa certifications for noncitizen victims of crime that are consistent with federal laws and regulations governing U and T visas. Requires each state and county certifying entity to adopt a policy and process for the issuance of U or T visa certifications, consistent with those statewide requirements. (CD1)

## Version chain

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

1. **HB1838** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1838_.HTM)
2. **HB1838_CD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1838_CD1_.HTM)
3. **HB1838_HD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1838_HD1_.HTM)
4. **HB1838_HD2** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1838_HD2_.HTM)
5. **HB1838_SD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1838_SD1_.HTM)

## Votes

- The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **3–0** (pass) · upper
- The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. — **5–0** (pass) · lower
- The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **7–1** (pass) · lower
- The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **16–0** (pass) · lower
- The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **7–0** (pass) · lower
- Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. — **25–0** (pass) · upper
- The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **2–0** (pass) · upper
- The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **12–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- AMATO — primary (person)
- BELATTI — primary (person)
- GEDEON — primary (person)
- HUSSEY — primary (person)
- ILAGAN — primary (person)
- IWAMOTO — primary (person)
- KUSCH — primary (person)
- MARTEN — primary (person)
- OLDS — primary (person)
- POEPOE — primary (person)
- SAYAMA — primary (person)
- SHIMIZU — primary (person)
- SOUZA — primary (person)
- Reyes Oda — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2026-06-24** Act 142, on 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1243). `became-law`
- **2026-06-24** Act 142, 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1243). `became-law`
- **2026-05-07** Transmitted to Governor.
- **2026-05-08** Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888). `receipt`
- **2026-05-06** Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816). `receipt`
- **2026-05-06** Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Kila voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0). `passage`
- **2026-05-06** Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none. `passage`
- **2026-05-01** 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
- **2026-05-01** Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 144-26).
- **2026-05-01** Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- **2026-05-01** Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 144-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- **2026-04-30** The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Elefante; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-30** The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Tarnas, Hussey, Tam, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
- **2026-04-29** Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 3:40PM; CR 325.
- **2026-04-28** Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-29-26 3:40PM; Conference Room 325.
- **2026-04-27** Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-28-26 3:40PM; Conference Room 325.
- **2026-04-24** Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-27-26 3:40PM; Conference Room 325.
- **2026-04-23** Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-26 3:40PM; Conference Room 325.
- **2026-04-23** Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 725). `receipt`
- **2026-04-22** Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Elefante Co-Chair; Awa.
- **2026-04-20** Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786). `receipt`
- **2026-04-20** House Conferees Appointed: Ilagan, Tarnas, Hussey Co-Chairs; Tam, Gedeon.
- **2026-04-16** Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599). `receipt`
- **2026-04-14** House disagrees with Senate amendment (s). `amendment-failure`
- **2026-04-10** Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 532) in amended form (SD 1).
- **2026-04-10** Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. `passage`
- **2026-04-09** One Day Notice 04-10-26.
- **2026-04-09** Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3644) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
- **2026-04-07** 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, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C.. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-02** The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
- **2026-03-30** Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2026-03-30** Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3346) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- **2026-03-27** The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Awa. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-23** The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-27-26 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
- **2026-03-23** Re-Referred to JDC, WAM. `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-10** Referred to JDC/GVO, WAM. `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-06** Passed First Reading. `reading-1`
- **2026-03-06** Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 54). `introduction, receipt`
- **2026-03-05** Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. `passage`
- **2026-03-05** Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 778-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- **2026-03-02** 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, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Alcos; Noes: none; and Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-02-27** Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 03-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-02-20** Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
- **2026-02-20** Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 741-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
- **2026-02-13** The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Takayama. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-02-11** Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Friday, 02-13-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-02-11** Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1). `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2026-02-11** Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 151-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
- **2026-02-06** The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-02-02** Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Friday, 02-06-26 8:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-01-26** Referred to ECD, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1 `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-23** Introduced and Pass First Reading. `introduction, reading-1`
- **2026-01-22** Pending introduction.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c559ade8-4f4d-40a4-a5f9-981d0e1ec54f`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Hawaii legislature records).