Informing the Legislature that on June 3, 2025, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB428 HD1 CD1 (ACT 153).

SB 428 (Act 153) increases witness compensation in Hawaii courts. It raises daily witness fees from $4 to $30 for civil trials and $40 for criminal trials, and replaces the 20-cent-per-mile travel rate with the federal mileage allowance. The bill also adds reimbursement for actual common carrier travel costs (e.g., bus or train) and adjusts per diem payments for out-of-state or inter-island travel. These changes apply to all civil and criminal court proceedings statewide and take effect July 1, 2025. The law directly affects witnesses required to appear in Hawaii state courts.