Nonpartisan · Data from OpenStates / Plural Policy · Hawaii
Democratic
· Representative
Jeanné Kapela
Represents District 5 in the House of Representatives.
Party-line votes
0
Not enough party-line votes to score.
Cast a vote
100%
Yea or Nay on 8 of 8 roll calls · House median 99%
Their bills that became law
52 of 423
as a primary sponsor, this session · Democrats median 46
Roll calls on record
8
2026 Regular Session
Votes and bills updated Oct 10, 2026 from LegiScan (CC BY 4.0), which republishes the legislature’s own records. Profile details from OpenStates / Plural Policy. Figures cover 2026 Regular Session.
How Jeanné Kapela votes
A party-line vote is a roll call where most voting Democrats and most voting Republicans took opposite sides. Absences and not-voting are never counted. Same method as our Congress pages.
Times they broke with their party
0 of 0 party-line votes.
They voted with most Democrats on every party-line vote this session.
Closest votes they cast
Roll calls decided by the fewest votes, one per bill.
SB3007 · Relating To Culture And Arts.
In plain English Establishes an Office of Community Culture, Arts, and Innovation within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and creates a Community and Cultural Partnership Program.
House Conference: Passed, With Amendments · 2026-05-01 · Passed 3–0
HB1661 · Relating To Cafeteria Plans.
In plain English Requires public service flexible spending account plans to set maximum contribution and carryover amounts annually based on federal tax code limits.
House Conference: Passed, With Amendments · 2026-05-01 · Passed 3–0
SB2802 · Relating To The University Of Hawaii.
In plain English Appropriates funds to establish a bachelor's degree program in agricultural science at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu, including one full-time position and supplies and equipment.
House Conference: Passed, With Amendments · 2026-05-01 · Passed 4–0
HB2339 · Relating To The University Of Hawaii Revenue Bonds.
In plain English Authorizes the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to issue revenue bonds to finance priority capital improvement projects.
House Conference: Passed, With Amendments · 2026-05-01 · Passed 4–0
HB1815 · Relating To The State Foundation On Culture And The Arts.
In plain English Applies grant standards to arts grants and moves the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to a different department.
House Conference: Passed, With Amendments · 2026-04-30 · Passed 4–0
Their session, month by month
Dark bars are roll calls they were recorded on each month; the red part is the ones without a Yea or Nay (0 in all). Gaps are months the chamber wasn’t voting.
← Hawaii Delegation
YeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYeaYea
Their bills, from filing to law
Bills Jeanné Kapela was a primary sponsor of this session. Most bills from either party never leave committee; in Illinois many never get past the Assignments or Rules committee.
Introduced423
Out of committee281
Passed one chamber195
Passed both chambers54
Became law52
Never left committee142
For comparison, the median Democratic member of the House has 46 bills that became law this session.
What their bills are about
Appropriation ($) 113Report 30DOE 24Reports 24Appropriations ($) 23Department of Education 20
Relating To The Safety Of Educational Workers.
In plain English Requires schools to address harassment of educational workers and sports officials, and makes harassment of them during their duties a misdemeanor.
Official synopsis: Part I: Requires the Department of Education and state public charter schools to take certain steps to better address the harassment of educational workers, including sports officials. Authorizes the Attorney General to assist educational workers, including sports officials at department of education or public charter…
Became lawAct 234, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1336). · 2026-07-14
Relating To Education.
In plain English Requires the Department of Education to provide braille instruction, materials, and literacy support services to eligible students, and to cooperate with other agencies on blind services and educational planning.
Official synopsis: Requires the Department of Education to include the instruction of braille and provision of braille instructional materials under certain circumstances; provide braille literacy support services; cooperate with the Department of Human Services when requested to submit information necessary to maintain a register of the blind…
Became lawAct 243, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1345). · 2026-07-14
Relating To Education.
In plain English Requires the Department of Education to screen students for dyslexia, provide teacher training in structured literacy, and support teacher preparation programs in teaching literacy instruction.
Official synopsis: Requires the Department of Education to implement dyslexia sensitive linguistically appropriate universal screenings and evidence-based interventions, offer professional development on structured literacy and evidenced-based interventions, and support pre-teacher programs in training candidates in structured literacy instruction. (CD1)
Became lawAct 242, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1344). · 2026-07-14
Relating To Education.
In plain English Requires annual salary step increases for public school teachers who complete one year of satisfactory service if included in a collective bargaining agreement and funds are appropriated.
Official synopsis: Provides annual salary step increases for public schools and public charter school teachers who have completed one year's satisfactory service and comply with specified requirements, if negotiated into a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to section 89-9, HRS, and subject to funds appropriated by the Legislature.…
Became lawAct 233, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1335). · 2026-07-14
Relating To Health.
In plain English Establishes a one-year pilot program in the Department of Health to provide in-home health care and support services to eligible participants who don't qualify for existing government assistance.
Official synopsis: Establishes within the Department of Health a one-year KupunAloha Pilot Program to provide in-home health care and support services to eligible participants who do not otherwise qualify for government assistance for these services. Appropriates funds for the pilot program. Pilot program sunsets 6/30/2027. (CD1)
Became lawAct 246, on 07/14/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1348). · 2026-07-14
Relating To Dementia.
In plain English Establishes a program within the Executive Office on Aging to create a network of dementia care specialists and support systems for individuals with dementia and their caregivers.
Official synopsis: Establishes the Hanai Memory Network Program within the Executive Office on Aging to create a network of dementia care specialists and support systems to assist individuals with dementia and their caregivers. Appropriates funds. (CD1)
Became lawAct 245, on 07/14/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1347). · 2026-07-14
Relating To Student Transportation.
In plain English Allows the Superintendent to hire a new contractor if a student transportation contractor fails to provide service for five or more consecutive school days, and authorizes penalties for service failures.
Official synopsis: Authorizes the Superintendent to hire a new contractor if a contractor under a student transportation contract fails to provide service on a contracted service capacity or designated service segment for five or more consecutive instructional days. Authorizes the Department of Education to assess a penalty…
Became lawAct 238, on 07/13/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1340). · 2026-07-14
Relating To Insurance.
In plain English Requires insurers to cover fertility preservation services for people undergoing medical treatment that may cause infertility, for policies issued or renewed after December 31, 2026.
Official synopsis: For policies, contracts, plans, and agreements issued or renewed after 12/31/2026, requires insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services for persons undergoing medically necessary treatment that may cause iatrogenic infertility. (CD1)
Became lawAct 218, on 07/09/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1320). · 2026-07-10
Relating To Conservation Mitigation Banks.
In plain English Allows the state and certain entities to operate conservation banks to offset impacts to threatened or endangered species under approved permits, and adds a federal official to the species recovery committee.
Official synopsis: Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources and certain public or private entities to seek the approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to operate conservation banks for situations where a person or entity is required to provide compensatory mitigation to offset…
Became lawAct 208, on 07/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1310). · 2026-07-09
Relating To Cesspool Conversions.
In plain English Creates a loan fund to help homeowners upgrade or convert cesspools, administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority.
Official synopsis: Establishes a Cesspool Conversion Revolving Loan Fund, to be administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority, to provide financial assistance, including low-interest or forgivable loans, to eligible homeowners for the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools. Appropriates funds for the establishment and hiring of a…
Became lawAct 204, on 07/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1306). · 2026-07-09
Relating To Human Trafficking.
In plain English Requires hotels and similar lodging businesses to train employees on human trafficking awareness, maintain records, post signage, and establish reporting procedures.
Official synopsis: Requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop a Human Trafficking Awareness Training Program, or approve externally developed programs, to educate and train workers in the transient accommodations sector. Requires transient accommodations employers or transient accommodations third-party contractors to periodically provide the human trafficking…
Became lawAct 191, on 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1293). · 2026-07-07
Relating To Domestic Violence.
In plain English Extends for five years provisions on family abuse offenses, including petty misdemeanor penalties and deferred guilty pleas, and requires court reports to the Legislature.
Official synopsis: Extends for five years certain provisions from Act 19, SLH 2020, and Act 238, SLH 2021, relating to abuse of family or household members, including establishing a petty misdemeanor offense of abuse of family or household members, clarifying penalties for violations, and allowing a deferred…
Became lawAct 192, on 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1294). · 2026-07-07
Relating To Health Care.
In plain English Prohibits interfering with access to health care facilities or disrupting their operations, making violations a petty misdemeanor with private right of action.
Official synopsis: Prohibits persons from interfering with another person's access to or from a health care facility or disrupting the normal functioning of a health care facility. Makes violations a petty misdemeanor. Establishes a private right of action. Authorizes the Attorney General to bring an action for…
Became lawAct 202, on 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1304). · 2026-07-07
Relating To Child Welfare Services.
In plain English Appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to contract with domestic violence organizations to provide training and consultation to Child Welfare Services staff statewide.
Official synopsis: Appropriates funds for the Department of Human Services to contract with one or more organizations specializing in domestic violence to provide training and consultation virtually or in-person to staff in Child Welfare Services Branch offices statewide. (CD1)
Became lawAct 194, on 07/07/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1296). · 2026-07-07
Relating To International Relations.
In plain English Allows Hawaii to enter nonbinding international agreements with foreign governments and expands sister-state partnerships to include prefectures and foreign nations.
Official synopsis: Authorizes the State to enter into nonbinding international cooperative agreements with national governments; national ministries, departments, or agencies; provincial or regional governments; or international intergovernmental bodies relevant to the interests of the State or an international partner. Expands the definition of sister-state or province partnerships…
Became lawAct 181, on 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1283). · 2026-06-26
“In plain English” lines are written by ThePolitibase with AI (Claude), from the official synopsis only; the synopsis is the authoritative text. Descriptions are the legislature’s own synopsis. Bill data from LegiScan, CC BY 4.0.
Loading committees…
SB3007 · 2026-05-01
Relating To Culture And Arts. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
HB1661 · 2026-05-01
Relating To Cafeteria Plans. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
SB2802 · 2026-05-01
Relating To The University Of Hawaii. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
HB2339 · 2026-05-01
Relating To The University Of Hawaii Revenue Bonds. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
SB3238 · 2026-05-01
Relating To Language Access. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
HB1815 · 2026-04-30
Relating To The State Foundation On Culture And The Arts. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
SB3229 · 2026-04-29
Relating To The University Of Hawaii. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
HB1515 · 2026-04-28
Relating To Workers' Compensation. (House Conference: Passed, With Amendments)
Complete voting record from LegiScan for the current session.
Official Links
Follow Jeanné Kapela
One email a week, only when there’s something: every time they broke with their party, and the closest votes they cast. Free, and you can stop any time.