HB 2197 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO PROPERTY.

Summary

Specifies a process by which property owners may utilize law enforcement officers to remove unauthorized individuals from dwellings. Establishes the criminal offenses of squatting and fraudulent sale or lease of residential real property. Makes the offense of criminal trespass in the first degree for a person who knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling or in or upon the premises of a hotel or apartment building a class C felony, rather than a misdemeanor. Classifies the type of property damage typically inflicted by squatters as a form of criminal property damage in the second degree. Classifies the falsification of documentation typically performed by squatters as a form of unsworn falsification to authorities. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 26, 2026 Last action Mar 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2197_HD1 → HB2197_HD2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill revision updates the bill number from HD1 to HD2 and refines definitions to clarify that a 'tenant' is distinct from an 'unauthorized individual' for removal purposes. It adds new protections allowing owners to dispose of abandoned personal property left by squatters and modifies the fee section to clarify the process. The revision also adjusts the list of crimes law enforcement can arrest for, swapping 'theft' for 'burglary' in one instance, and updates the effective date section numbering.

Scope change

The bill's core scope regarding squatter removal and criminal penalties remains largely consistent, but the definitions have been sharpened to prevent confusion between tenants and squatters, and new provisions have been added to handle abandoned property.

DEFINITION

Clarified that 'Rental agreement' and 'Tenant' are defined separately, ensuring a tenant is not automatically classified as an unauthorized individual.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new subsection allowing owners to treat and dispose of personal property left by removed squatters as abandoned without liability.

ENFORCEMENT

Adjusted the list of arrestable offenses for law enforcement, changing 'theft' to 'burglary' in the context of wrongful removal limitations.

TECHNICAL

Updated the perjury affidavit language to explicitly cite Hawaii Revised Statutes section 710-1060.

Changed the section numbering for the effective date from Section 8 to Section 9 to align with the new bill structure.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to CPN/PSM, JDC.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 376).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 526-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Hartsfield.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Committee

Referred to HSH, JHA, referral sheet 5

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors