SB 115 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO ATTACHMENT AND EXECUTION OF REAL PROPERTY.

SB 115 increases the amount of real property protected from seizure by creditors when enforcing court judgments. This directly affects homeowners and property owners facing debt collection, as it raises the threshold before property can be attached or executed. The key provision is raising the exemption amount, meaning more valuable homes and land will remain protected from being sold to satisfy debts. This change modifies existing property protection rules without altering debt collection procedures themselves.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 9, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB115 → SB115_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the legal definition of 'head of a family' to include two married individuals and expands the real property exemption amount for debt protection from $20,000 to $90,000. These changes increase the financial assets that individuals can protect from creditors, providing greater security for families facing debt collection or legal execution. The bill also adjusts the effective date of the law to July 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill expands eligibility by redefining 'head of a family' to explicitly include married couples, whereas the previous version had different or implied criteria.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'head of a family' was updated to explicitly include two married individuals, broadening who qualifies for family-related protections.

ELIGIBILITY

The real property exemption amount for debt protection was increased from $20,000 to $90,000, allowing homeowners to protect significantly more equity from creditors.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the new provisions was set to July 1, 2025.

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

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 63) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Jan 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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

Jan 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-25 9:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Committee

Referred to JDC, WAM.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 9, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

6 primary · 1 co-sponsor