KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Senator Karl Rhoads, Chair |
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Senator Mike Gabbard, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Friday, February 6, 2026 |
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TIME: |
9:00 AM |
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PLACE: |
Conference Room 016 & Videoconference State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL
BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY
The Legislature is accepting written, videoconference, and in-person testimony at public hearings.
A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.
A G E N D A
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RELATING TO ATTACHMENT AND EXECUTION OF REAL PROPERTY. Increases the real property exemption amount for attachment or execution.
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JDC |
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RELATING TO THE JUDICIARY. Increases the number of associate judges on the Intermediate Court of Appeals from six to seven. Appropriates funds.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO ELECTIONS. Beginning 1/1/2027, establishes presidential preference primary elections for the 2028 election cycle. Appropriates funds.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO VOTING. Requires the Office of Elections to include a notice to voters that a digital and print voter information guide is available. Requires the notice to be in thirty-two-point font and enclosed as a separate insert with each ballot. Requires the Office of Elections to maintain a notice on its website providing certain information about the voter information guide. Requires the Office of Elections to make the digital voter information guide available to the public no later than twenty-one days before the primary election and no later than fifty days before the general election. Appropriates funds.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO VOTER INFORMATION. Requires the Office of Elections to prepare a questionnaire on certain issues to which candidates may respond. Requires the Office of Elections to publish any responses provided by a candidate on its website and in the digital voter information guide no later than eighteen days before a primary election. Effective 1/1/2027.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO PROPERTY FORFEITURE. Amends forfeiture laws to require the owner of property seized in relation to a crime to be convicted of the covered offense before the property may be forfeited.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO STATE INCOME TAX LIABILITY. Increases designated income check-off amounts for the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund to $6 for taxpayers filing individual returns with $6 or more of state income tax liability and for spouses filing joint returns with $12 or more of state income tax liability.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO PUBLIC FINANCING FOR CANDIDATES TO ELECTED OFFICE. Establishes a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in the State, to begin with the 2028 general election year. Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO PARTIAL PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS. Increases the expenditure limit and the amount of partial public campaign financing available for all elective offices. Adjusts the minimum amount of qualifying contributions certain candidates must receive to participate in the program. Increases the matching fund payments for excess qualifying contributions. Appropriates funds for the program.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE CAMPAIGN SPENDING COMMISSION'S ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM. Amends various sections of Hawaii's campaign spending laws by requiring designated campaign finance forms to be submitted electronically through the Campaign Spending Commission's upgraded electronic filing system.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO JURY DUTY. Increases the amount each juror or prospective juror is paid for each day of actual attendance at court. Appropriates funds.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES. Establishes a working group within the Judiciary to improve family court processes, including access to legal representation for youth in the child welfare system. Appropriates funds for the working group.
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JDC, WAM |
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RELATING TO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. Amends section 11-364, HRS, to provide that an excess contribution of more than $100 in cash, in the aggregate, from a single person during an election period to a candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund if not returned to the contributor within 30 days.
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JDC, WAM |
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Decision Making to follow, if time permits.
All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.
Please go to the Legislature's website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov, to submit written testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Create a free account on the website, or sign in to an existing account, then click on the "Participate" drop down menu and select the "Submit Testimony" option to get started. While submitting your written testimony, you will be prompted to indicate if you would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference.
Please note the following:
· The number of oral testifiers and/or time allotted to each testifier may be limited by the Chair when necessary to adhere to the committee hearing schedule. We may not be able to accommodate everyone who requests to testify orally.
· Testifiers for this hearing will be limited to 2 minutes each.
If you wish to testify via videoconference during the hearing, please review the detailed step-by-step instructions for testimony procedures before you submit your written testimony. Here's a direct link to the instructions: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/testimonyinstructions.pdf
For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. You can also visit their website at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/par/.
For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email JDCcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.
For amended notices: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored. If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 808-586-6130.
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_____________________________________ Senator Karl Rhoads Chair |
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