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)
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide an update on the findings of a 2022 proof-of-concept study titled Breaking Cycles, which explored alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models for the Oahu Community Correctional Center. The bill asks the department to report on how the study's recommendations have been incorporated into plans for a new correctional facility and to include feedback from incarcerated individuals, staff, families, and community stakeholders. The Department must submit this report to the Legislature at least 20 days before the 2027 Regular Session begins, with any proposed legislation included in the submission. This measure focuses on oversight and information gathering rather than implementing specific policy changes.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution requests the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission to create an advisory committee focused on developing recommendations for alternative rehabilitation and restorative justice models on Oʻahu. The bill builds on existing research from the Breaking Cycles Study, which examined trauma-informed design, cultural integration, and community-based approaches to incarceration reform. The proposed advisory committee would explore how to implement these alternative models, particularly considering the unique cultural and environmental context of the Halawa site for a new correctional facility. This resolution does not mandate specific actions but asks the oversight commission to form a committee to study and propose ways to incorporate restorative justice principles into the state's correctional system.
HB 1628 establishes a formal protocol for releasing incarcerated individuals who are terminally ill or have severe, debilitating medical conditions. It directly affects people currently imprisoned who meet specific health criteria, requiring correctional facilities to evaluate and refer eligible cases. The bill creates a defined process for medical assessments, review by prison officials, and court approval for release. This would change how prisons handle compassionate release by replacing ad-hoc decisions with a standardized, documented procedure. The bill is currently pending before the committee, with a hearing scheduled for February 4, 2026.
Requires the Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation to incrementally return committed felons incarcerated in private, out-of-state correctional institutions to in-state correctional facilities. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)
Establishes the procedure that a circuit court shall follow upon the reversal or vacation of a person's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Requires the State to pay, through a warrant for payment issued by the Comptroller, 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 Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to immediately notify the Department of Human Services so the Department of Human Services may 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 persons 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)
This Senate Concurrent Resolution asks the federal government to provide additional funding to help Hawaii increase pay for adult corrections officers in the state's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The bill addresses ongoing staffing shortages and high turnover by requesting federal financial support for competitive compensation, including base pay adjustments and retention incentives. It does not directly change state laws or budgets but serves as a formal request to federal officials to assist with workforce stabilization. The resolution aims to reduce vacancies and improve safety conditions without placing the full financial burden on state taxpayers.
This bill urges county planning and permitting agencies in Hawaii to deny all permit applications for the construction, expansion, or use of warehouses by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for detaining individuals facing deportation. The resolution directs these agencies to refuse permits specifically for facilities intended to house large numbers of people in warehouse settings, citing concerns about mass incarceration and local resource strain. It is a non-binding recommendation that applies to county-level planning departments across Hawaii's major islands. The bill does not create new laws or penalties but instead asks local officials to exercise their permitting authority to block such facilities.
This bill urges Hawaii's county planning and permitting agencies to deny all applications for building, expanding, or using warehouses by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for detaining individuals facing deportation. It is based on concerns about the potential for mass incarceration in large facilities, the strain on local resources, and the separation of individuals from their families and legal counsel. The resolution directs copies to planning officials in Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii, and Kauai counties to encourage them to reject such permit requests. It reflects Hawaii's stated values of dignity and respect for all individuals, regardless of immigration status.
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)
