SINE DIE: Today is the last day of the 2026 Legislative Session.

from Hawaii Family Forum, May 8, 2026

In Latin, “sine die” means “without a day” specified for next meeting. Adjournment sine die occurs on the 60th legislative day of a regular session and indicates a suspension of the business of the legislature indefinitely. From this point, the Legislature will certify bills whose form both chambers have agreed to and will transmit or “enroll” those bills to the Governor. Contact PAR for information regarding the Governor’s deadline

HB1961 & HB1875 Awaiting Governor Action

Important Timelines (Final Step for a Bill to Become a Law)

[From the Legislative Reference Bureau] 

If a bill successfully passes through both chambers of the Legislature, it needs to be presented to the Governor. (Unless it proposes a constitutional amendment, in which case it gets put on the ballot for the electorate to decide its fate.)

The procedure for enactment, which is defined in Article III, Section 16 of the Hawaii State Constitution, varies depending on when the bill is delivered to the Governor and the Governor’s subsequent action or inaction in considering the bill. (In computing the number of days designated below, the following days are excluded: Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and any days in which the Legislature is in recess prior to its adjournment.) The following information is based on adjournment sine die occurring on May 8, 2026.

If the bill is sent to the Governor on or before April 21, 2026 (10 or more days before adjournment of the Legislature sine die), then:

If the Governor signs the bill within 10 days, the bill becomes law and is given an Act number.

If the Governor neither signs nor vetoes the bill within 10 days, the bill becomes law without the Governor’s signature and is given an Act number.

If the Governor vetoes the bill within 10 days, the bill does not become law unless the Legislature reconsiders the bill before adjournment sine die and overrides the veto by a 2/3 vote in each chamber.

If the bill is sent to the Governor after April 21, 2026 (less than 10 days prior to adjournment sine die), then:

If the Governor signs the bill by July 15, 2026 (the 45th day after adjournment sine die), the bill becomes law and is given an Act number.

If the Governor neither signs nor vetoes the bill by July 15, 2026 (the 45th day after adjournment sine die), the bill becomes law without the Governor’s signature and is given an Act number.

If the Governor intends to veto the bill, the Governor must inform the Legislature by June 30, 2026 (the 35th day after adjournment sine die) and deliver the veto by July 15, 2026 (the 45th day after adjournment sine die). If the bill is vetoed, it will not become law unless the Legislature successfully overrides the veto in special session by a 2/3 vote in each chamber.* The Legislature must convene in special session at or before noon on July 15, 2026 to override the Governor’s veto.

* The legislature may also amend a bill to answer the governor’s objections. For it to become law, a majority of the members in each chamber would be required to vote in favor of the amended bill, and the governor would then have 10 days to sign it.

Note: The date that a bill goes into effect as law can be found in its last section.

ACROSS THE NATION

SCOTUS Temporarily Restores Mail-Order Access to Abortion Pills

May 4, 2026 | WASHINGTON, D.C.  –  Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an administrative stay that temporarily restores nationwide mail-order access to the abortion pill Mifepristone, which pauses an appeals court order that reinstated a previous rule that the drug be dispensed in-person.

On Friday, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must reinstate the in-person requirement for dispensing Mifepristone as the legal case moves through the courts. The Fifth Circuit’s decision temporarily blocked the 2023 FDA rule change that allowed Mifepristone to be distributed through the mail without an in-person medical visit. The three-judge panel of the appeals court ruled unanimously that the state of Louisiana was likely to prevail in its challenge to the pill’s 2023 deregulation adopted by Biden’s administration. 

[Read full story

Education Department Must Update Guidance for Student Religious Expression

May 5, 2026 | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Liberty Counsel, which represents student religious groups in K-12 public education, signed on to a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon alongside other student-focused ministries urging the federal department to revise current guidance to ensure equal treatment of the religious expression of these student groups. 

In February 2026, the U.S. Department of Education updated its periodic guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools. The guidance, required to be updated periodically by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, “makes clear that parents and children have a constitutional right to take part in public school in ways that align with their sincerely held religious beliefs,” reads a department press release.

]Read full story

National Foster Care Month Highlights Need for Loving Homes

May 5, 2026 | WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation recognizing May 2026 as National Foster Care Month, highlighting the ongoing need for loving and stable homes for children in foster care. The proclamation emphasizes the important role of foster families, faith communities, and local organizations in supporting vulnerable children and strengthening families across America. As Hawai‘i continues to face challenges related to family stability and child welfare, this serves as a timely reminder of the vital role communities can play in caring for children in need.

[Read full proclamation here.]

Catch Up on the Faith and Family First Podcast

Weekly Faith and Family First Update

Listen on KLHT Radio on Saturday at 1:30

Listen on your favorite PODCAST Station: iTunes, Spotify or Buzzsprout

The Legislature may be done, but the action is not over. In this episode, Eva and Marcus break down what happens next as key bills move to Governor Green’s desk, explain how vetoes and overrides really work, and look ahead to major election issues already taking shape in Hawaiʻi. Tune in for a fast-moving conversation on emergency powers, voter registration, marijuana policy, and why citizens of faith must stay engaged.