HB 1263 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CORRECTIONS.

HB 1263 establishes a Rehabilitation and Re-entry Services Task Force to develop programs helping people transition back into communities after prison. The bill directly affects incarcerated individuals and state correctional systems by requiring the task force to create and report on re-entry strategies to the Legislature. Key provisions include appropriating state funds for the task force's work and mandating annual reports to lawmakers. The bill would take effect on July 1, 3000, though this date appears to be a placeholder error in the abstract.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1263 → HB1263_HD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to remove a moratorium on building a new jail and replace the 'Criminal Justice Diversion Task Force' with a 'Rehabilitation and Re-entry Services Task Force.' The new version focuses on reviewing policies to help incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society rather than pausing construction projects. Additionally, the effective date was changed to July 1, 3000, likely as a placeholder.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from halting the construction of a new jail facility to establishing a task force focused on rehabilitation and re-entry services for incarcerated individuals.

TIMELINE

Removed a moratorium on issuing requests for proposals or constructing a new jail facility to replace the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

Changed the task force's expiration date from June 30, 2028, to June 30, 2028, but moved the final report deadline to twenty days before the 2028 regular session.

Changed the Act's effective date from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement to pause jail planning to address system-wide gaps and implement a systems approach to jail planning.

Added a requirement for the task force to submit an interim report to the legislature twenty days before the 2027 regular session.

SCOPE

Changed the task force's purpose from diverting individuals from jails to reviewing policies that support rehabilitation and re-entry into society.

FISCAL

Changed the spending authority from the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 243) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Hashem, Lamosao, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Morikawa, Woodson.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to PBS, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors