HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Rep. David A. Tarnas, Chair |
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Rep. Mahina Poepoe, Vice Chair |
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Rep. Della Au Belatti |
Rep. Jackson D. Sayama |
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Rep. Elle Cochran |
Rep. Gregg Takayama |
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Rep. Mark J. Hashem |
Rep. Diamond Garcia |
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Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa |
Rep. Garner M. Shimizu |
AMENDED NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
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TIME: |
2:00 PM |
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PLACE: |
VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE Conference Room 325 State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
Click here to submit testimony and to testify remotely or in person.
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A M E N D E D A G E N D A
The following measure(s) has been ADDED to the agenda: HB2505 HD1, HB2023 HD1, HB2031 HD1, HB2033 HD1
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RELATING TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM. Establishes factors under which officers may arrest and detain persons without a warrant for petty misdemeanors and violations, and requires officers to document the justification for the arrests. Amends the circumstances under which officers may issue citations in lieu of arrest. Requires officers to issue citations in lieu of arrest for certain petty misdemeanors and violations, unless public safety or flight risks are present or the alleged offense involves operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant or the abuse of family or household members. Requires the Judiciary to promulgate a standardized citation form and updates the required information for citations.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO PRETRIAL REFORM. Requires release on recognizance for defendants charged with violations, traffic offenses, nonviolent petty misdemeanors, nonviolent misdemeanors, and nonviolent class C felonies, subject to conditions. Establishes exclusions for specified offenses, threats to public safety, and wilful flight. Requires findings when bail or detention is imposed, ongoing review of continued detention or conditions, and a prompt hearing if bail cannot be posted. Requires prosecutors to notify victims of pretrial decisions.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO PRETRIAL RELEASE. Requires certain factors to be considered when determining a defendant's financial ability to afford bail.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO SENTENCING. Amends repeat offender sentencing provisions to allow sentencing courts, under certain circumstances, to sentence defendants in class C felony cases to probation with appropriate terms and conditions.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO EXPUNGEMENT ORDERS. Amends section 831-3.2, HRS, to reflect that a person who is arrested for or charged with a crime but convicted of a violation is eligible for an expungement of their arrest record for that incident.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO ELECTIONS. Establishes a process by which any political party continuously listed on the general election ballot for twenty or more years shall be deemed continuously qualified for ballot placement.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO HABITUAL VIOLENT CRIME. Amend Act 213, SLH 2024, by repealing its sunset date and requiring the Criminal Justice Research Institute to submit a one-time report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2031. Requires the Attorney General, in consultation with Criminal Justice Research Institute, to submit ongoing annual reports to the Legislature.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO CERTIORARI REVIEW BY THE HAWAII SUPREME COURT. Establishes a fixed disposition deadline requiring the Supreme Court to decide an application for certiorari within 60 days after the application is filed. Applies prospectively to cases in which the judgment or dismissal order of the Intermediate Court of Appeals was filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO VACANCIES. Amends the processes for addressing party candidate and state senator vacancies.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO VOTING. Authorizes state agencies to implement automatic voter registration if designated by the Office of Elections. Requires eligible applicants for instruction permits, provisional licenses, driver's licenses, and identification cards to be automatically registered or preregistered to vote unless the applicant opts out. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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HSH, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES. Expands the scope of persons who are subject to public financial disclosure requirements.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO POLITICAL FUNDRAISING BY EXECUTIVE BRANCH EMPLOYEES. Prohibits any Executive Branch employee who is nominated or appointed by the Governor to a compensated position subject to confirmation by the Senate from engaging in certain campaign fundraising activities.
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JHA |
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RELATING TO ASSISTED COMMUNITY TREATMENT. Clarifies that community mental health outpatient programs that have agreed to provide mental health services to a defendant as part of an assisted community treatment order may prepare a certificate for assisted community treatment and provide the certificate to a defendant and may file an assisted community treatment petition with the Family Court. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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HLT, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO THE WAGE AND HOUR LAW. Authorizes the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to establish a Community Wage Theft Enforcement Partnership Program and enter into contracts or memoranda of agreements with community-based organizations to enhance outreach, referral, and recovery of stolen wages. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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LAB, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Beginning 7/1/2030: makes circumventing or tampering with an active intelligent speed assistance system a misdemeanor; requires the Department of Transportation to select a vendor for the installation and maintenance of active intelligent speed assistance systems; and allows the Judiciary to impose the installation of active intelligent speed assistance systems as an additional penalty and as part of a license suspension or revocation for repeat offenders of certain traffic violations. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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TRN, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. Establishes the Administrative Hearings Division within the Department of Transportation and transfers certain administrative hearing powers to the Division, including matters related to automated red light camera and speed enforcement traffic citations, oversized and overweight vehicles on state highways, commercial driver's license appeals, on-demand taxi services at airports, transportation network company permit appeals, airport and harbor matters, and highway encroachments. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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TRN, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. PART I: Requires sellers and licensed dealers to ensure that a motor vehicle is equipped with a front number plate mounting bracket or device. Requires a licensed dealer or owner to securely fasten number plates on vehicles. PART II: Amends the Traffic Code relating to street racing. PART III: Expands the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program to high-risk locations of state or county highways as determined by the Department of Transportation, under certain conditions. Appropriates funds. PART IV: Allows counties to use automatic license plate recognition systems to identify vehicles without current inspection or registration certificates and issue citations with fines waivable if compliance is demonstrated. Establishes data privacy and retention requirements. Allows counties, in coordination with the Department of Transportation, to use red light and speed camera systems for enforcement. PART V: Authorizes the installation of cameras on the stop arm of a school bus to record footage for evidence of a violation for passing or overtaking a school bus while the bus is stopped and its visual signals are turned on. Amends the fines for passing or overtaking a school bus while the bus is stopped and its visual signals are turned on. PART VI: Specifies that the Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Safety Office shall administer the Photo Red Light Imaging Detector Systems Program Special Fund and Automated Speed Enforcement Systems Program Special Fund. PART VII: Clarifies language relating to photo red light enforcement, automated speed enforcement, and penalty provisions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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TRN, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO TAXATION. Applies the retail or higher general excise tax or use tax rate to purchases or imports of new motor vehicles by rental car companies. Appropriates funds for a position in the Department of Taxation. Appropriates funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to address the beneficiary waiting list. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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TRN, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE. Temporarily establishes, within the Office of the Governor, the Office of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator to review, assess, coordinate, prepare, and manage plans and resources for search and rescue operations statewide. Repeals on 6/30/2031. Appropriates moneys. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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PBS, JHA, FIN |
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RELATING TO TOURISM. Repeals the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Establishes the Office of Tourism within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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TOU/WAL, JHA, FIN |
DECISION MAKING TO FOLLOW
Persons wishing to offer comments should submit testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Testimony received after this time will be stamped late and left to the discretion of the chair to consider. While every effort will be made to incorporate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the hearing or improperly identified or directed, may not be processed.
Testimony submitted will be placed on the legislative website. This public posting of testimony on the website should be considered when including personal information in your testimony.
The chair may institute a per-testifier time limit.
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FOR AMENDED NOTICES: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are bolded.
For more information, please contact the Committee Clerk at (808) 586-6325.
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________________________________________ Rep. David A. Tarnas Chair |