Hawaii bills · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii HB 2493
RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- TARNAS (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Hawaii legislature· description
Establishes the procedure that a circuit court shall follow upon the reversal or vacation of an individual's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Requires the State to pay advance compensation to any petitioner who was convicted in a court of the State, imprisoned for at least one year, and whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or was pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence. Requires the Comptroller to issue a warrant for payment of advance compensation to a petitioner. Requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to contract with a community-based agency to assign a case manager to a petitioner upon the petitioner's release. Requires the State to provide medical coverage to a person for a certain duration upon the reversal or vacation of the person's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence and where the charges were dismissed. Provides that the Judiciary and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall retain jurisdiction over the person for the purposes of effectuating this process. Authorizes the State to seek reimbursement from the applicable county for any losses incurred by the State pursuant to this process. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Clarifies eligibility to seek compensation for individuals whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or who were pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Shifts the burden of proof to the State to prove by a preponderance of evidence that the reversal or vacation of the judgment of conviction for a petitioner, or the pardoning of the petitioner, was inconsistent with innocence. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:04 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 2026 House | The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. | pass | Set your home in Hawaii to see |
| Feb 10, 2026 House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. | pass | Set your home in Hawaii to see |
Actions
- Jan 28, 2026 · House
Introduced and Pass First Reading. - Feb 2, 2026 · House
Referred to JHA, PBS, FIN, referral sheet 6 - Feb 6, 2026 · House
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-10-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. - Feb 10, 2026 · House
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and Excused: none. - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 235-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS. - Feb 12, 2026 · House
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS with Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Pierick voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). - Feb 13, 2026 · House
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-18-26 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. - Feb 18, 2026 · House
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. - Feb 20, 2026 · House
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 602-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN. - Feb 20, 2026 · House
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Pierick voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).