THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2055

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 368, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§368-    Civil rights violations helpline; established.  (a)  The civil rights commission shall establish and maintain a twenty-four hour, toll-free telephone helpline to assist individuals who have been harmed, whose immediate or extended family have been harmed, or who witness harm by federal troop deployments, federal law enforcement, or immigration enforcement operations in the State.

     (b)  The helpline shall:

     (1)  Assist individuals in finding resources, including all county and state government assistance programs for which they are eligible, information on social and legal assistance, and school emergency response, crisis intervention, and other programs for students;

     (2)  Receive anonymized calls relating to allegations or complaints of misconduct or harm caused by any federal law enforcement officer or military personnel operating in the State; and

     (3)  Have voicemail capabilities, an internet website, and provide translation and disability access services.

     (c)  Reports to the helpline of violations of state civil rights law shall be investigated by the civil rights commission; provided that the commission shall only investigate reports of civil rights violations over which the commission has jurisdiction. 

     (d)  The civil rights commission shall advertise the helpline and make materials available to the public to encourage reports to the helpline for those who experience or witness civil rights violations.

     (e)  All reports and other communications to the helpline shall remain confidential pursuant to section 368-4.

     (f)  The civil rights commission shall maintain a secure database of all reports received by the helpline.

     (g)  The civil rights commission shall compile and submit an annual report to the legislature that includes aggregated data from the helpline and information on federal law enforcement and military deployments in the State.  All personally identifiable information in the report shall be redacted.  The report shall include the following:

     (1)  Number and type of reports received by the helpline;

     (2)  Law enforcement agencies involved;

     (3)  Patterns or trends regarding misconduct, excessive use of force, racial profiling, and other federal and state civil rights violations; and

     (4)  Recommendations for policy and training improvements over which the civil rights commission has jurisdiction.

     (h)  The civil rights commission shall convene at least one public hearing every calendar year to present findings from the annual public report described in subsection (g).  The civil rights commission shall provide public notice of the hearing.

     (i)  The civil rights commission shall compile and submit to the legislature, and post on its website, a monthly preliminary report that includes aggregated data from the helpline and information on federal law enforcement and military deployments in the State.  All personally identifiable information in the report shall be redacted.  The report shall include the following:

     (1)  Number and type of reports received by the helpline;

     (2)  Law enforcement agencies involved;

     (3)  Patterns or trends regarding misconduct, excessive use of force, racial profiling, and other federal and state civil rights violations; and

     (4)  Recommendations for policy and training improvements over which the civil rights commission has jurisdiction.

     (j)  The civil rights commission shall include in each monthly preliminary report described in subsection (i) a disclaimer indicating that due to time restrictions, the information included in the report may not be fully verified and subject to change.

     (k)  For the purposes of this section:

     "Harm" means an alleged act or omission that results in serious physical injury, bodily injury, death, damage to or loss of property, or deprivation of liberty, including an alleged unlawful search or seizure, use of force, threat of force, arrest, detention, or confinement.

     "Federal troop deployment" means the deployment or assignment to the State of members of the United States Armed Forces, including members of a reserve component serving on active duty, and members of the National Guard when in federal service, for a domestic operation other than routine training or administrative travel."

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment of the following positions within the Hawaii civil rights commission:

     (1)        full-time equivalent (     .0 FTE) civil rights investigator positions to follow up on reports and conduct interviews;

     (2)        full-time equivalent (     .0 FTE) data analyst positions to maintain the secure database and prepare the monthly and annual reports; and

     (3)        full-time equivalent (     .0 FTE) program manager positions to oversee the helpline contract with Aloha United Way and ensure compliance.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the Hawaii civil rights commission to contract with Aloha United Way to implement a twenty-four hour intake civil rights violation helpline in the existing 211 system operated by Aloha United Way.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for website and database development costs.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on March 22, 2075.

 

 

Report Title:

Civil Rights Commission; Civil Rights; Helpline; Federal Deployments; Annual Report; Monthly Report; Appropriations

 

Description:

Requires the Civil Rights Commission to establish a twenty-four hour intake helpline for individuals to submit reports of harms from federal deployments in the State.  Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile an annual report and hold an annual public hearing on data obtained through the helpline.  Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile and submit to the Legislature, and post on its website, a monthly preliminary report on data obtained through the helpline.  Appropriates funds to establish an unspecified number of Civil Rights Investigator, Data Analyst, and Program Manager positions within the Civil Rights Commission.  Appropriates funds for the Civil Rights Commission to contract with Aloha United Way to implement the twenty-four hour intake helpline and for website and data development costs.  Effective 3/22/2075.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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