HawaiiHawaii limits jail terms for covered nonviolent offenses
Hawaii law limits jail terms for covered nonviolent offenses to 364 days and lets people sentenced earlier for nonviolent misdemeanors ask a court to reconsider.
What it does
Jail terms for covered nonviolent offenses are limited to 364 days. A violent misdemeanor may still carry up to one year, and a petty misdemeanor is capped at 30 days.
People sentenced before the law took effect for nonviolent misdemeanors may ask the court that convicted them to reconsider their sentence under the 364-day maximum.
Argument forThe 364-day cap could shorten jail terms for some people convicted of nonviolent offenses, and eligible people sentenced earlier may ask a court to reconsider.
Argument againstPeople convicted of violent misdemeanors could still receive up to a year in jail, while other misdemeanor terms are capped at 364 days.
More detail
The law limits jail terms for covered nonviolent offenses to 364 days. The 364-day limit covers any state-law offense punishable by up to one year that is not a crime of violence. Misdemeanor and petty-misdemeanor sentences are also covered by the separate limits stated here. The offense must not be a crime of violence and must carry a state-law maximum of one year or less. For misdemeanors, a court may impose up to one year for a crime of violence; petty misdemeanors have a 30-day maximum. The law took effect upon approval on June 24, 2026.
Eligible people may apply to the trial court to reconsider an earlier sentence. The application goes to the trial court that entered the conviction. The person must have received a sentence for a misdemeanor that is not a crime of violence before the law took effect. The application asks the court to reconsider the sentence to reflect a 364-day maximum; it does not guarantee a changed sentence. The application provision covers sentences imposed before the law took effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 24Act 143, 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1244).Latest
- Jun 24Act 143, on 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1244).Became Law
- May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
- May 7Transmitted to Governor.
- May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none).Major
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Kila, Olds, Pierick voting no (4) and none excused (0).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- Apr 29The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Belatti, Poepoe; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Apr 29Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 69-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- Apr 29Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- Apr 29Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 69-26).
- Apr 2948 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
- Apr 28Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-29-26 2:20PM in conference room 325.
- Apr 27Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Chang, San Buenaventura.
- Apr 27Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 782).Minor
- Apr 20House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Belatti, Poepoe, Garcia.
- Apr 20Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).Minor
- Apr 17Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).Minor
- Apr 16House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).Minor
- Apr 14Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 583) in amended form (SD 1).
- Apr 9Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3660) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
- Apr 9Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).Minor
- Apr 948 Hrs. Notice 04-14-26.
- Mar 24The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 20The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-24-26 9:45AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
- Mar 12Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 242).Minor
- Mar 12Passed First Reading.Minor
- Mar 12Referred to JDC.Minor
- Mar 10Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Gedeon, Kila, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 5Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 907-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 5Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1).
- Feb 13The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Takayama.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 11Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Friday, 02-13-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Jan 26Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1Minor
- Jan 21Introduced and Pass First Reading.Minor
- Jan 15Prefiled.Introduced
Criminal Justice