Issue · Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

Every criminal justice bill, vote, and legislator stance in Hawaii, automatically classified by Maddy, our AI policy reader.

Total bills
17
2026 Regular Session
Top supporter
Dru Kanuha
100% support rate
Top opponent
Kurt Fevella
6% support rate
Ranked legislators
10
5 support · 5 oppose
Key legislators

Who's moving criminal justice in Hawaii

Legislators moving criminal justice in Hawaii
Legislator Party Stance Support rate Decisive votes
Dru Kanuha
Dru Kanuha Senate · District 3
D
Strong +
100% 14
Les Ihara
Les Ihara Senate · District 10
D
Strong +
100% 14
Ron Kouchi
Ron Kouchi Senate · District 8
D
Strong +
100% 14
Joy San Buenaventura
Joy San Buenaventura Senate · District 2
D
Strong +
94% 35
Jarrett Keohokalole
Jarrett Keohokalole Senate · District 24
D
Strong +
93% 15
Kurt Fevella
Kurt Fevella Senate · District 20
R
Strong −
6% 17
Diamond Garcia
Diamond Garcia House · District 42
R
Strong −
10% 72
Brenton Awa
Brenton Awa Senate · District 23
R
Strong −
11% 37
Samantha DeCorte
Samantha DeCorte Senate · District 22
R
Strong −
12% 26
David Alcos
David Alcos House · District 41
R
Strong −
12% 40
Showing 1–10 of 17 bills

All criminal justice bills

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)
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)
passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 17, 2026

HB 2540: RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Prohibits with certain exceptions, the use of facial coverings and requires visible identification by law enforcement officers and their vehicles in the performance of their duties. Requires state and county law enforcement agencies to establish policies regarding state and county cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. Prohibits law enforcement officers from prolonging a stop to inquire about a person's civil immigration status. Establishes criminal offenses for use of a mask or facial covering by a law enforcement officer, lack of visible identification, and unauthorized civil immigration arrest or detention. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD2)
passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 664: RELATING TO GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

Establishes the Office of Gun Violence Prevention to conduct community outreach on gun violence prevention, develop and administer a grant program for gun violence prevention, and develop and administer a gun violence resource bank. Moves the Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission from the Office of the Attorney General to the Department of Law Enforcement. Replaces the Attorney General with the Director of Law Enforcement as Chair of the Gun Violence and Violent Crimes Commission and includes the Attorney General as a commission member. Establishes the Gun Violence Prevention Special Fund and appropriates funds into and out of the special fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2077. (SD2)
passed both · Hawaii · Senate Apr 2, 2026

SB 1316: RELATING TO COURT-ORDERED PAYMENTS.

Requires the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency or licensed attorney to collect delinquent court-ordered fees, fines, sanctions, and court costs. Repeals the authority of the Judiciary to contract with a collection agency or licensed attorney to collect delinquent restitution. Expressly allows courts to specify a period of time or installments for payment of fees and restitution. Requires district courts to hold payment compliance hearings once per year or as soon as practicable, until all fees, fines, and restitution are fully paid, and requires a defendant in district court to appear and show cause if the defendant fails to pay in full within a time specified by the court or fails to pay three consecutive installments. Makes conforming amendments to related statutes. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
passed both · Hawaii · House Apr 2, 2026

HB 433: RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY.

Requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for reentry services to connect offenders with community-based services. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
passed both · Hawaii · Senate Mar 20, 2026

SB 763: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Program within the Department of Law Enforcement. Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)
passed · Hawaii · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1790: RELATING TO POLICING.

Establishes the Hawaii Center for Policing and Criminal Justice Research within the Social Science Research Institute, College of Social Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa to house the Hawaii Crime Lab. Requires law enforcement agencies and law enforcement oversight agencies to collect and report certain data regarding law enforcement stops, uses of force, and complaints to the Hawaii Crime Lab. Requires the Hawaii Crime Lab to collect and publish incident-level information and an annual report on the data collected. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to adopt rules, in coordination with the Hawaii Crime Lab, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and any community advisory boards. Appropriates funds for the establishment and operation of the Hawaii Center for Policing and Criminal Justice Research within the Social Science Research Institute, College of Social Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa to support implementation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
passed · Hawaii · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 2181: RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY.

Beginning 7/1/2027, requires the Judiciary to develop, implement, and administer an automated court appearance reminder system that generates text message or electronic mail notifications for upcoming court appearances in certain types of cases. Requires persons making an arrest or issuing a citation to obtain, to the extent practicable, the offender's mobile telephone number and electronic mail address. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
passed · Hawaii · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 2493: RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT.

Establishes the procedure that a circuit court shall follow upon the reversal or vacation of an individual's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Requires the State to pay advance compensation to any petitioner who was convicted in a court of the State, imprisoned for at least one year, and whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or was pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence. Requires the Comptroller to issue a warrant for payment of advance compensation to a petitioner. Requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to contract with a community-based agency to assign a case manager to a petitioner upon the petitioner's release. Requires the State to provide medical coverage to a person for a certain duration upon the reversal or vacation of the person's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence and where the charges were dismissed. Provides that the Judiciary and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall retain jurisdiction over the person for the purposes of effectuating this process. Authorizes the State to seek reimbursement from the applicable county for any losses incurred by the State pursuant to this process. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Clarifies eligibility to seek compensation for individuals whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or who were pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Shifts the burden of proof to the State to prove by a preponderance of evidence that the reversal or vacation of the judgment of conviction for a petitioner, or the pardoning of the petitioner, was inconsistent with innocence. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Showing 1 to 10 of 17 bills
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