HB 2181 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY.

Summary

Beginning 7/1/2027, requires the Judiciary to develop, implement, and administer an automated court appearance reminder system that generates text message or electronic mail notifications for upcoming court appearances in certain types of cases. Requires persons making an arrest or issuing a citation to obtain, to the extent practicable, the offender's mobile telephone number and electronic mail address. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 26, 2026 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB2181 → HB2181_HD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the requirements for an automated court appearance reminder system, expanding the types of notifications sent and clarifying that participation is voluntary. It strengthens privacy protections by prohibiting the use of collected contact information for law enforcement investigations and ensuring that refusing to provide contact details cannot be used as evidence of guilt. The legislation also adjusts the effective date of the funding appropriation while setting a later start date for the system's operation.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the reminder system to include virtual court appearance links and clarifies that contact information collection occurs during booking and release processes rather than just at arrest.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the reminder system to include links to virtual court appearances when they are available.

Changed the timing of contact information collection to occur during booking and release forms rather than solely at the time of arrest.

Reorganized the required information on court citations to prioritize the offender's name and address before other details.

Added a requirement for the judiciary to collect and publicly report data on system enrollment, opt-outs, and failure to appear rates.

ENFORCEMENT

Added strict privacy provisions prohibiting the use of collected phone numbers or email addresses for law enforcement investigations or sharing with third parties.

Added protections stating that a person's refusal to provide contact information cannot be used as evidence of guilt or held against them in court.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the funding appropriation to July 1, 2026, while the system itself remains scheduled to begin on July 1, 2027.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to JDC/PSM, WAM.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 374).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Perruso.

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Committee

Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 232-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 5

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

10 primary · 0 co-sponsors