HB 1628 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO COMPASSIONATE RELEASE.

HB 1628 establishes a formal protocol for releasing incarcerated individuals who are terminally ill or have severe, debilitating medical conditions. It directly affects people currently imprisoned who meet specific health criteria, requiring correctional facilities to evaluate and refer eligible cases. The bill creates a defined process for medical assessments, review by prison officials, and court approval for release. This would change how prisons handle compassionate release by replacing ad-hoc decisions with a standardized, documented procedure. The bill is currently pending before the committee, with a hearing scheduled for February 4, 2026.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 20, 2026 Last action May 1, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1628_HD2 → HB1628_SD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised to modernize compassionate release criteria, clarify funding requirements, and adjust the implementation timeline. The changes expand eligibility for release, remove the ability to appeal denials, and update the effective date to 2050.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include individuals with chronic conditions and those facing mandatory minimum sentences, while excluding only those sentenced to life without parole.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligibility criteria were broadened to include 'chronic' conditions alongside terminal and irreversible ones, and the law now explicitly allows release for those with mandatory minimum sentences (except life without parole).

ENFORCEMENT

The previous provision allowing appeals of compassionate release denials was removed, making the process final upon the authority's decision.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement was added for the authority to notify victims and prosecutors whenever a person is released under this protocol.

FISCAL

The appropriation section was updated to explicitly fund 'adequate healthcare facility placements' in addition to general implementation costs.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the bill was changed from the placeholder year 3000 to July 1, 2050.

DEFINITION

The definition of an 'older incarcerated person' in the findings section was adjusted to align with the National Institute of Corrections standard of 55 years or older.

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

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:51 PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:40 PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:10 PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 4:30 PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 3:30 PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

Apr 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 1:45PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 3:00PM; CR 016.

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-29-26 3:00PM in conference room 016.

lower

Apr 20, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to PBS, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 30

lower

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 593) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite, Elefante, Richards, Wakai . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Apr 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC/WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-08-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3288) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Inouye.

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-25-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to PSM, JDC/WAM.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 252).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Kila, Kitagawa, Olds, Sayama voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Matayoshi, Pierick voting no (2) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 25, 2026

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, Cochran, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti.

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 600-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 20, 2026

Introduced

Prefiled.

lower

16 primary · 0 co-sponsors