STAND. COM. REP. NO. 867-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1247

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 H.B. No. 1247, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Allow a party aggrieved by the judgment of a circuit court on a minimum term order to appeal to the Intermediate Appellate Court;

(2) Require prisoners to continue to be represented by counsel in any petition challenging minimum term proceedings;

(3) Require the Supreme Court to establish rules regarding the form and content of the petition challenging minimum term proceedings, the parties, and hearings on the motion, and the referral to the Public Defender where necessary; and

(4) Establish grounds for challenging a minimum term order.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of the County of Hawaiʻi. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Judiciary.

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 H.B. No. 1247, 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