HB 2288 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PAROLE ELIGIBILITY.

HB 2288 expands parole eligibility for incarcerated individuals by allowing them to qualify for parole through participation in a broader range of rehabilitation programs. The bill directly affects committed persons (those serving prison sentences) by adding new program types to the existing criteria for parole consideration. Key provisions require correctional facilities to recognize these additional programs as meeting the eligibility requirements for parole hearings. This change aims to provide more pathways for inmates to demonstrate rehabilitation progress before parole consideration.

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 · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2288_HD1 → HB2288_HD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the administrative details of HB 2288, including the author's name, bill version numbers, and effective dates. It also clarifies the purpose of the act to explicitly expand parole eligibility to include various reintegration programs. The most significant policy change involves modifying the parole release criteria to allow release in counties with populations over 800,000 and adding a new requirement that the paroling authority must waive program participation if the department fails to move an inmate to a facility offering those programs.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on parole eligibility and program participation requirements, but the applicability of release location rules and program availability exceptions has been broadened and clarified.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata including the author's name, clerk number, revision numbers, and specific effective dates.

DEFINITION

Rephrased the legislative purpose to clearly state that the act expands parole eligibility to include treatment, work furlough, and other reintegration programs.

REQUIREMENT

Adjusted the population threshold for counties where parole release is permitted from 'exceeds eight-hundred thousand' to 'exceeds eight hundred thousand' for clarity.

Added a new provision requiring the Hawaii paroling authority to waive program participation requirements if the department fails to transfer an eligible inmate to a facility where such programs are available.

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 PSM, JDC.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 391).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2). 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 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 397-26) 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; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 5

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors