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SB 2315

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVII, SECTION 3 OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO SPECIFY THAT THE STANDARD FOR VOTER APPROVAL OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROPOSED BY THE LEGISLATURE IS A MAJORITY OF ALL THE VOTES TALLIED UPON THE QUESTION.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stanley Chang and 3 co-sponsors

Hawaii SB 2315 clarifies that legislative constitutional amendments need only a simple majority of votes cast on the amendment question to pass, potentially lowering approval requirements.

Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
#amendmentprocess #conam #generalelections #tallying #votes(conam)
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Bill Summary · SB 2315

Legislative bill overview

SB 2315 proposes amending Hawaii's state constitution to clarify that constitutional amendments proposed by the legislature require only a simple majority of votes cast on the amendment question to pass, rather than leaving the standard ambiguous. This is a technical constitutional clarification intended to establish clear voter approval thresholds for future legislative amendments.

Why is this important

Constitutional amendment standards directly affect how easily a state's foundational governing document can be changed. The clarification could influence the likelihood of constitutional amendments passing by potentially lowering the effective threshold if current practice requires higher voter participation or supermajority approval. This impacts the balance of power between voters, the legislature, and established constitutional constraints.

Potential points of contention

  • Interpretation of "all votes tallied": Whether this means only votes specifically cast on the amendment question versus all votes cast in that election; a narrower denominator makes passage easier
  • Lowering the effective threshold: If current practice or prior interpretation required broader approval, this change could make constitutional amendments easier to pass, raising concerns about constitutional stability
  • Voter participation implications: A simple majority of ballots cast on the question requires fewer overall voters to approve amendments compared to approval thresholds based on total registered voters or election participants, which some may view as undermining constitutional deliberation

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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