HB2253

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds that section 844D-126, Hawaii Revised Statutes, appears to require all evidence custodians in all post-conviction cases to retain all evidence that "may" contain biological evidence. As a result, evidence must be retained in all felony, misdemeanor, petty misdemeanor, and violation cases resulting in conviction, even when the actual presence of biological evidence is extremely unlikely; even when that evidence would have been irrelevant to the identification of the perpetrator; and even when the identity of the perpetrator was not at issue.

The legislature further finds that this broad evidence retention requirement has caused storage problems statewide. Reasonable guidelines and limitations for the post-conviction retention of biological evidence by law enforcement agencies and the courts are needed, as well as a clear procedure that allows defendants to object to the proposed disposal of biological evidence.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a more practical and balanced framework for post-conviction evidence retention by:

(1) Limiting the post-conviction retention requirements to certain serious felony offenses in which the identity of the perpetrator was in question and the evidence could reasonably be determined to contain biological material that could be used for DNA analysis to identify or exclude the defendant as the perpetrator of the offense;

(2) Allowing the disposal of evidence before the exhaustion of all appeals or the completion of a sentence if the court determines that the identity of the defendant as the perpetrator of the offense was not a contested issue in the case, or that the evidence does not contain biological evidence that could reasonably be used for DNA analysis to identify or exclude the defendant as the perpetrator;

(3) Providing defendants with an opportunity to object to the proposed disposal of evidence; and

(4) Defining "biological evidence."

SECTION 2. Section 844D-121, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§844D-121 Petition for post-conviction DNA testing. Notwithstanding any other law or rule of court governing post-conviction relief to the contrary, a person who was convicted of and sentenced for a crime, or acquitted of a crime on the ground of physical or mental disease, disorder, or defect excluding responsibility, may file a motion, at any time, for DNA analysis of any evidence that:

(1) Is in the custody or control of a police department, prosecuting attorney, laboratory, or court[;], consistent with section 844D-126;

(2) Is related to the investigation or prosecution that resulted in the judgment of conviction or of acquittal of a crime on the ground of physical or mental disease, disorder, or defect excluding responsibility; and

(3) [~~May contain~~] Contains biological evidence[.] that could reasonably be used for DNA analysis to:

(A) Establish the identity of the person who committed the offense that resulted in the judgment of conviction; or

(B) Exclude a person from the group of persons who could have committed the offense that resulted in the judgment of conviction."

SECTION 3. Section 844D-126, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§844D-126[]] Retention of biological evidence. (a) [~~All~~] Any evidence in the custody or control of an evidence custodian, including a [~~police department,~~] law enforcement agency, prosecuting [~~attorney,~~] agency, laboratory, or court [~~that~~], shall be retained if:

(1) The identity of the defendant, as the perpetrator of the offense that resulted in the judgment of conviction, was a contested issue in the case;

(2) The evidence is related to the investigation or prosecution of a case in which there has been a judgment of conviction [~~and that may~~] for:

(A) Murder;

(B) Manslaughter;

(D) Sexual assault in the first degree;

(E) Sexual assault in the second degree;

(F) Assault in the first degree; or

(G) An attempt or criminal conspiracy to commit any of the offenses set forth in this paragraph; and

(3) The evidence could reasonably be determined to contain biological evidence that could be used for DNA analysis to:

(A) Establish the identity of the person who committed the offense that resulted in the judgment of conviction; or

(B) Exclude a person from the group of persons who could have committed the offense that resulted in the judgment of conviction.

(b) The evidence retained pursuant to subsection (a) shall be retained at least until the later occurring of either:

(1) The exhaustion of all appeals of the case to which the evidence is related; or

(2) The completion of any sentence, including any term of probation or parole, imposed on the defendant in the case to which the evidence relates.

[~~(b) The attorney general shall establish procedures and protocols, which shall be uniform throughout the State, for the collection and preservation of evidence retained pursuant to this section.~~]

(c) The evidence custodian may dispose of evidence retained pursuant to subsection (a) before the expiration of the time period specified in subsection (b) if:

(1) The court, pursuant to subsection (g), grants a motion for disposal of evidence filed by the prosecuting agency before sentencing and scheduled to be heard by the court immediately after sentencing or as soon thereafter as practicable; provided that the motion for disposal shall include a description of the evidence proposed for disposal; or

(2) The prosecuting agency or evidence custodian files with the court a notification of proposed disposal of evidence consistent with this section, and either:

(A) The defendant does not file a statement of objection pursuant to subsection (f); or

(B) If the defendant files a statement of objection pursuant to subsection (f), the court, after a hearing on the objection, allows disposal of the evidence pursuant to subsection (g).

(d) If a notification of proposed disposal of the evidence is filed, a copy shall be served upon:

(1) The defendant against whom the judgment of conviction was entered, by personal service or, after a reasonable and documented good faith attempt for personal service was made, by first class mail to the defendant's last known address;

(2) The defendant's parole officer or probation officer, if service cannot be made upon the defendant by personal service and the defendant remains under parole or probation supervision;

(3) The defendant's attorney of record, if applicable;

(4) The prosecuting agency, if that agency did not file the notification; and

(5) The evidence custodian, if the evidence custodian did not file the notification.

(e) The notification of proposed disposal of the evidence shall include:

(1) A description of the evidence proposed for disposal; and

(2) Notice that the evidence custodian may dispose of the evidence before the expiration of the time period specified in subsection (b) unless, within ninety days of service of the notification, the defendant files a written statement of objection with the court and serves the statement of objection on the prosecuting agency and the evidence custodian.

(f) If within ninety days of service of the notification of proposed disposal of the evidence on the defendant, defendant's parole or probation officer, or defendant's attorney of record, whichever service is last completed, the defendant files a written statement of objection with the court and serves the statement of objection on the prosecuting agency and the evidence custodian, the court shall schedule a hearing on the objection and provide notice of the hearing to the prosecuting agency and the evidence custodian.

(g) If, after a hearing on the objection to a notification of proposed disposal of the evidence or a hearing on a motion for disposal of evidence, the court determines by a preponderance of the evidence that:

(1) The identity of the defendant, as the perpetrator of the offense that resulted in the judgment of conviction, was not a contested issue in the case; or

(2) The evidence does not contain biological evidence that could reasonably be used for DNA analysis to:

(A) Establish the identity of the person who committed the offense for which the defendant was convicted; or

(B) Exclude a person from the group of persons who could have committed the offense for which the defendant was convicted,

the court may allow the evidence custodian to dispose of the evidence.

(h) As used in this section, "biological evidence" means an individual's blood, semen, hair, saliva, skin tissue, fingernail scrapings, teeth, bone, bodily fluids, or other identifiable biological material, including the contents of a sexual assault examination kit."

SECTION 3. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2253
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII