Criminal Justice

signed · Hawaii · Senate Jul 14, 2026

SB 2568: RELATING TO OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC SERVANTS.

Elevates the offense of harassment to a misdemeanor when committed against a public servant because of or during their performance of official duties. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeElevates harassment against public servants to misdemeanor, strengthening legal protections for law enforcement and court personnel, supporting criminal justice system functionality.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Hawaii · House Jul 7, 2026

HB 1960: RELATING TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

Requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop a Human Trafficking Awareness Training Program, or approve externally developed programs, to educate and train workers in the transient accommodations sector. Requires transient accommodations employers or transient accommodations third-party contractors to periodically provide the human trafficking awareness training to certain employees and contract workers, keep records of the training, post signage, and develop and implement a human trafficking prevention policy that includes procedures for the reporting of suspected human trafficking. Establishes penalties. Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to adopt rules. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires trafficking awareness training, reporting procedures, and prevention policies to combat human trafficking crimes, strengthening criminal justice prevention efforts.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates human trafficking training for workers in transient accommodations sector, directly enhancing workplace safety and protecting against exploitation per bill's requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Hawaii · House Jun 26, 2026

HB 1870: RELATING TO PROTECTED COMMUNITY LOCATIONS.

By 1/1/2027, requires all state and county agencies that operate protected community locations to adopt and post written policies that identify nonpublic areas, establish procedures for warrant verification and staff response, prohibit the collection of certain immigration-status data, and require annual staff training and certain multilingual notices. Requires the Attorney General to publish model policies. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts law enforcement participation in civil immigration enforcement near community services (schools, health care, shelters), promoting trust and access to essential services while aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing ...85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill designates schools as protected community locations to limit immigration enforcement, ensuring safe access to education and protecting students/staff from disruption in educational settings.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects healthcare facilities from immigration enforcement, ensuring access to services without fear of deportation.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProtects shelters (housing services) from immigration enforcement, ensuring access to housing for vulnerable populations in protected community locations.85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill limits state/local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement near protected community locations (schools, health facilities), safeguarding immigrant access to essential services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Hawaii · House Jun 26, 2026

HB 2279: RELATING TO EXPUNGEMENT ORDERS.

Amends the expungement orders law to reflect that a person who is arrested for or charged with a crime but convicted of a violation is eligible for an expungement of their arrest record for that incident. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpunges minor offense records (violations), aiding rehabilitation and reducing barriers - core criminal justice reform measure aligning with reduced recidivism indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Hawaii · Senate Jun 9, 2026

SB 99: RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Allows a retirant to be employed without reenrollment in the Employees' Retirement System and without loss or interruption of retirement benefits if the retirant is employed as a school resource officer identified by the Department of Law Enforcement or other law enforcement agency as a labor shortage or difficult-to-fill position and stationed at a public school, subject to certain conditions. Establishes criteria for various agencies to use in identifying labor shortage or difficult-to-fill positions. Requires the director of human resources of the appropriate state jurisdiction or the human resources management chief executive of each county to include in their annual reports to the Legislature, details on the employment of retirants as school resource officers. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables retirees to fill law enforcement roles (school resource officers) in critical positions, addressing labor shortages within criminal justice workforce needs.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables retirees to fill school resource officer roles without losing benefits, addressing labor shortages in K-12 school staffing per DOE designation.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Hawaii · House May 27, 2026

HB 2505: RELATING TO ASSISTED COMMUNITY TREATMENT.

Clarifies that community mental health outpatient programs that have agreed to provide mental health services to a defendant as part of an assisted community treatment order may prepare a certificate for assisted community treatment and provide the certificate to a defendant and may file an assisted community treatment petition with the Family Court. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes timely assisted community treatment for defendants, diverting them from incarceration to mental health care, reducing recidivism and aligning with criminal justice reform principles.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires streamlined process for community mental health treatment, improving patient access to outpatient care and reducing involuntary hospitalization delays.85% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

signed · Hawaii · House May 27, 2026

HB 2289: RELATING TO THE EXPENDITURE CEILING ON THE AUTOMATED VICTIM INFORMATION AND NOTIFICATION SYSTEM SPECIAL FUND.

Repeals the statutory expenditure ceiling on the Automated Victim Information and Notification System Special Fund to address rising program costs and growing victim service demands. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRemoves $600k annual expenditure ceiling on victim services fund to address rising costs, enabling necessary funding for essential programs.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves $600k expenditure ceiling on victim notification system fund to expand victim services within criminal justice system, directly funding victim support programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Hawaii · House May 26, 2026

HB 1518: RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

By 1/1/2028, requires the Department of Human Services, upon obtaining a federal waiver, to establish a pre-release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application process for inmates nearing release. Allows all individuals convicted of an offense involving the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance to apply for SNAP benefits, regardless of treatment status. (CD1)

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill provides SNAP access to inmates nearing release (including drug offenders), removing barriers to reentry and supporting rehabilitation to reduce recidivism, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 139: REQUESTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO INCREASE COMPENSATION FOR ADULT CORRECTIONS OFFICERS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OF HAWAII'S DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION.

This Senate Resolution requests that the federal government provide supplemental funding to increase pay for adult corrections officers working for Hawaii's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The bill aims to address severe staffing shortages and high turnover rates by using federal money to improve compensation, including base pay and retention incentives. It does not directly change state law or spending but serves as a formal appeal to federal officials for financial assistance to support public safety workforce stability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill seeks federal supplemental funding to increase compensation for corrections officers, addressing staffing shortages through financial assistance.75% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill seeks federal funding to improve compensation for corrections officers, addressing staffing shortages and retention issues in the criminal justice system.75% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill seeks federal funding to increase compensation for corrections officers, directly supporting worker wages and addressing staffing shortages through improved pay.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SCR 60: REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE FINDINGS OF THE PROOF OF CONCEPT STUDY TITLED BREAKING CYCLES: ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF REHABILITATION AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE ON OʻAHU.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide an update on the findings of a 2022 proof-of-concept study titled Breaking Cycles, which explored alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models for the Oahu Community Correctional Center. The bill asks the department to report on how the study's recommendations have been incorporated into plans for a new correctional facility and to include feedback from incarcerated individuals, staff, families, and community stakeholders. The Department must submit this report to the Legislature at least 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session begins, with any proposed legislation included in the submission. This measure focuses on oversight and information gathering rather than implementing specific policy changes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill requests update on restorative justice and rehabilitation models, indicating support for criminal justice reform and improved correctional approaches.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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