---
type: "Bill"
title: "RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS."
description: "Establishes a Language Access Education and Workforce Development Program at the University of Hawaii. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. (CD1)"
jurisdiction: "us/states/hi"
legislature: "Hawaii Legislature"
session: "2026"
identifier: "SB 3238"
citation: "Hawaii SB 3238 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Appropriation ($)", "Language Access Education and Workforce Development Program", "Positions", "UH"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["C.", "ELEFANTE", "FUKUNAGA", "LAMOSAO", "LEE"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 55
vote_count: 7
first_action: "2026-01-28"
last_action: "2026-06-26"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/add7789b-514e-41c5-97f2-166f9d6e012f"
source_url: "https://capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=3238&year=2026"
source_hash: "e3a9fc674be74f7deb75e94b22d577b0d1040f0a95e909a86726f687708530df"
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 SB 3238 (2026) — RELATING TO LANGUAGE ACCESS.

Establishes a Language Access Education and Workforce Development Program at the University of Hawaii. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

## Version chain

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

1. **SB3238** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3238_.HTM)
2. **SB3238_CD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3238_CD1_.HTM)
3. **SB3238_HD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3238_HD1_.HTM)
4. **SB3238_SD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3238_SD1_.HTM)

## Votes

- The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **12–0** (pass) · upper
- The committee(s) on EDU 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 FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **16–0** (pass) · lower
- Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. — **24–0** (pass) · upper
- The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **3–0** (pass) · upper
- The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **9–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- C. — primary (person)
- ELEFANTE — primary (person)
- FUKUNAGA — primary (person)
- LAMOSAO — primary (person)
- LEE — primary (person)
- San Buenaventura — cosponsor (person)
- Wakai — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2026-06-26** Act 179, on 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1281). `became-law`
- **2026-06-26** Act 179, 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1281). `became-law`
- **2026-05-08** Enrolled to Governor. `executive-receipt`
- **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 (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none. `passage`
- **2026-05-06** Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). `passage`
- **2026-05-01** Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- **2026-05-01** Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 209-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- **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. 209-26).
- **2026-05-01** 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) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-05-01** The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Miyake, Amato, Kapela, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
- **2026-05-01** Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:50PM in Conference Room 229.
- **2026-05-01** Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:15PM in Conference Room 229.
- **2026-04-30** Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 3:10PM in conference room 229.
- **2026-04-28** Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 3:00PM in conference room 229.
- **2026-04-24** Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-28-26 3:00PM in conference room 229.
- **2026-04-23** Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Friday, 04-24-26 2:30PM in conference room 229.
- **2026-04-23** Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 811). `receipt`
- **2026-04-22** House Conferees Appointed: Garrett, Miyake Co-Chairs; Amato, Kapela, Souza.
- **2026-04-21** Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 718). `receipt`
- **2026-04-21** Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Hashimoto Co-Chair; DeCorte.
- **2026-04-16** Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710). `receipt`
- **2026-04-16** Senate disagrees with House amendments. `amendment-failure`
- **2026-04-16** Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 766). `introduction, receipt`
- **2026-04-14** Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. `passage`
- **2026-04-10** Deferred one day 04-14-26. `deferral`
- **2026-04-10** Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2051-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- **2026-04-07** 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; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-02** Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-03-23** Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Lowen, Perruso, Poepoe, Quinlan excused (6). `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2026-03-23** Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1318-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- **2026-03-16** The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Evslin, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Woodson, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kapela. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-12** Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Monday, 03-16-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-03-12** This measure has been deleted from the meeting scheduled on Friday 03-13-26 2:00PM in conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-03-10** Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Friday, 03-13-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-03-10** Referred to HED, FIN, referral sheet 16 `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-10** Pass First Reading `reading-1`
- **2026-03-06** Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 126) in amended form (SD 1). `introduction, receipt`
- **2026-03-06** Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House. `passage`
- **2026-03-05** One Day Notice 03-06-26.
- **2026-03-05** Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2757) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
- **2026-03-03** 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. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-02-25** The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. `deferral`
- **2026-02-23** The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:56AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
- **2026-02-20** Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2026-02-20** Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2613) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- **2026-02-18** The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-02-13** The committee(s) on EDU has rescheduled its public hearing to 02-18-26 1:02PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.
- **2026-02-08** The committee(s) on EDU deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-09-26 1:05PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.
- **2026-02-06** The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-09-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
- **2026-02-02** Referred to EDU, WAM. `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-28** Passed First Reading. `reading-1`
- **2026-01-28** Introduced. `introduction`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/add7789b-514e-41c5-97f2-166f9d6e012f`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Hawaii legislature records).