SB 951 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO CHILD PROTECTION.

Summary

Requires mandatory written reports of child abuse or neglect to the Department of Human Services to include the military status of the child's parent or other persons responsible for the child's care, if known. Requires the Department of Human Services to inform the appropriate authority for the branch of the United States military when, upon receiving a report of child abuse or neglect, there is sufficient information to determine that the report involves a family where one of the parents, guardians, or alleged perpetrators is a member of an identifiable branch of the United States military. (CD1)

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jul 2025

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Signed Jul 1, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB951_SD1 → SB951_SD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Hawaii's child protection reporting requirements to include military status information and establishes a new protocol for notifying military authorities when child abuse reports involve military families. The changes also clarify how the Department of Human Services must share information with police and prosecutors while maintaining confidentiality protections for reporters.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of mandatory reporting requirements to specifically include military status information and adds a new requirement for the Department of Human Services to notify appropriate military authorities when abuse reports involve military families.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for written reports to include the military status of the child's parents or guardians if known

Added new subsection requiring the Department of Human Services to inform appropriate military authorities when abuse reports involve families with military members

Modified reporting requirements to clarify when information must be shared with police or prosecutors versus when it remains confidential

TIMELINE

Added effective date of December 31, 2050 for most provisions, with Section 2 taking effect June 30, 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

Amendments

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick excused (2).

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 63) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

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. 63).

upper

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: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Elefante, Gabbard, DeCorte; 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: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Belatti, Poepoe, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Iwamoto.

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-23-25 3:30PM; Conference Room 329.

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 440).

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 20, 2025

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, Belatti, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Hashem.

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Committee

Reported from HSH/PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1287) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Ichiyama, Lamosao, Woodson.

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takenouchi; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Takayama, Alcos, Garcia.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to HSH/PBS, JHA, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 226) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 20, 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, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-20-25 10:01AM; CR 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from HHS/PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 591) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, Fukunaga, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS/PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 3:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to HHS/PSM, JDC.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

9 primary · 1 co-sponsor