HB 103 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO SENTENCING.

Summary

Prohibits sentencing persons who were under the age of twenty-one at the time of the offense to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Signed Jun 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB103_CD1 → HB103_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was significantly rewritten to clarify its purpose and scope. The original draft focused on prohibiting life without parole for those under 21, while the revised version explicitly defines 'emerging adult defendants' as those aged 18 to under 21 and adds a formal definition section. The revised text also includes procedural requirements for the bill's approval and effectuation.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined to specifically target 'emerging adult defendants' (ages 18-20) rather than using the broader 'under twenty-one' language, and a formal definition was added to clarify eligibility.

DEFINITION

Added a formal definition of 'emerging adult defendant' as someone aged 18 or older but under 21 at the time of the offense.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed language from 'under twenty-one' to specifically 'eighteen years of age and less than twenty-one years of age' to align with the Massachusetts precedent mentioned in the findings.

TECHNICAL

Added a new Section 3 requiring that new statutory material be underscored and Section 4 establishing the bill's effective date upon approval.

REQUIREMENT

Removed detailed provisions regarding commutation applications and extended term criteria that were present in the original draft but not in the final version.

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

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Kong, Muraoka, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (5) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Aquino, Elefante. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none).

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 54).

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 54) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, Gabbard; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 2 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Shimizu; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-23-25 2:10PM in conference room 325.

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 395) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Aquino, Elefante, McKelvey . Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 9:45AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to JDC.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 81).

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Shimizu voting no (4) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 13, 2025

Introduced

Prefiled.

lower

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors