HB 1247 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS.

Summary

Allows a party aggrieved by the judgment of a circuit court on a minimum term order to appeal to the Intermediate Appellate Court. Requires prisoners to be represented by counsel in any petition challenging the minimum term proceedings. Requires the Supreme Court to establish rules. Establishes grounds for challenging a minimum term order. Appropriates funds. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1247_HD1 → HB1247_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the legislative metadata to reflect its current status as a Senate Draft (SD1) and revises the effective date from the distant future of July 1, 3000, to March 22, 2075. It also adds new sections to appropriate state funding for the judiciary and the public defender's office to support the bill's implementation.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on judicial review for criminal minimum terms, but the timeline for implementation has been extended significantly, and new funding mechanisms have been introduced.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 3000, to March 22, 2075.

FISCAL

New sections were added to appropriate state funds for fiscal year 2026-2027 for both the judiciary and the office of the public defender to support the Act's purposes.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was updated to include 'Appropriations' to reflect the new funding sections.

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

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3271) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

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, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 9:55AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to JDC, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 12).

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting no (8) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 727) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Todd.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

12 primary · 0 co-sponsors