STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2162-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2438

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2438, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL INTERFERENCE WITH CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY RIGHTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a civil cause of action for interference with constitutional and statutory rights through threats, intimidation, or coercion;

(2) Authorize private rights of action;

(3) Authorize actions to be brought by the Attorney General, County Corporation Counsel, or County Attorney;

(4) Authorize injunctive relief, declaratory relief, and certain monetary relief; and

(5) Include protections for constitutionally protected speech.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Civil Rights Commission; Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Community Alliance on Prisons; The Legal Clinic; Fujiwara & Rosenbaum, LLLC; Roots Reborn; Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights; American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii; AAUW of Hawaii; Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Society for Human Resource Management, Hawaii Chapter.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2438, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair