HB 727 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE WOMEN'S COURT.

Summary

Permanently establishes the Women's Court Program in the First Circuit. Establishes a temporary two-year Women's Court Pilot Program within the Kona division of the Third Circuit. Requires reports. Establishes a temporary position. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 6/30/2027. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Signed Jun 26, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB727_SD1 → HB727_SD2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands Hawaii's Women's Court program by making the existing first circuit pilot permanent and adding a new three-year pilot in the Kona division of the third circuit. It also updates reporting requirements, adjusts the repeal date for the original pilot program, and includes a new effective date of April 23, 2057, which appears to be a clerical error that should be reviewed.

Scope change

The bill expands the Women's Court program from a single pilot location to two locations, making the first circuit program permanent and adding a new pilot in the Kona division of the third circuit.

SCOPE

Establishes a new three-year women's court pilot program in the Kona division of the third circuit to serve women in that region.

TIMELINE

Changes the repeal date for the original women's court pilot program from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2028, making the first circuit program permanent.

Adds an effective date of April 23, 2057, which appears to be a significant clerical error and should be corrected to a reasonable date.

REQUIREMENT

Updates reporting requirements to include additional metrics on program participation, completion, and recommendations for expansion or discontinuation.

Requires the judiciary to submit a separate report on the need for and costs of expanding the program to the second, fifth circuits, and Hilo division of the third circuit.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick excused (2).

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 58).

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 58) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, DeCoite; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Kitagawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Poepoe, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-22-25 2:05PM in conference room 325.

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Monday 04-21-25 2:05PM in conference room 325.

lower

Apr 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Thursday, 04-17-25 3:46PM in conference room 325.

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 4, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 578) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Apr 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-31-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1240) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang.

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-19-25 9:45AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Committee

Re-Referred to JDC, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to JDC/HHS, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 273).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 13 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Kusch, Reyes Oda, Ward.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 624) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Hashem.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

30 primary · 0 co-sponsors