HB1769 • 2026

RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: KAPELA, AMATO, BELATTI, GRANDINETTI, HARTSFIELD, HUSSEY, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, PERRUSO, POEPOE, SAYAMA, SOUZA, TARNAS
Last action: 2026-04-27
Official status: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 760).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.
Corrections; Private, Out-of-state Prisons; Return to In-state Correctional Facilities; Reports Requires the Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation to incrementally return committed felons incarcerated in private, out-of-state correctional institutions to in-state correctional facilities.
Requires reports to the Legislature.
Effective 7/1/3000.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB1769 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1769 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1769 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES .

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: HB1769 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1769 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1769 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB1769 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1769 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1769 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

Bill History

2026-04-27 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 760).
2026-04-24 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Fukunaga Chair; Elefante Co-Chair; Lee, C., Inouye.
2026-04-16 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).
2026-04-14 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2026-04-10 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 526) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-04-10 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante, Moriwaki. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-09 S
One Day Notice 04-10-26.
2026-04-09 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3648) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-08 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-06 S
The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-08-26 10:01AM; CR 211 & Videoconference.
2026-04-01 S
The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-06-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-30 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3290) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-25 S
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Inouye.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-25-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-03-12 S
Referred to PSM, WAM.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 286).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1145-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-25 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti.
2026-02-23 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 02-25-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 601-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-18 H
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.
2026-02-11 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-18-26 11:30AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-11 H
The committee(s) on PBS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-18-26 11:30AM.
2026-02-05 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-11-26 8:30AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-04 H
The committee on PBS did not hear this measure. The committee recommends the measure be heard on 02-11-26, 8:30AM.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-04-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to PBS, JHA, referral sheet 1
2026-01-22 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.
Corrections; Private, Out-of-state Prisons; Return to In-state Correctional Facilities; Reports
Requires the Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation to incrementally return committed felons incarcerated in private, out-of-state correctional institutions to in-state correctional facilities. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1769

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1769

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�

The legislature finds that Hawaii's long-standing reliance on
incarceration, including the use of private, for-profit correctional facilities
located outside the State, has caused significant harm to incarcerated persons,
their families, and communities.
�
The
practice of transferring Hawaii inmates to the continental United States
separates individuals from their ohana, culture, and support systems; undermines
rehabilitation; and creates barriers to successful reentry.
�
Findings of the House Concurrent Resolution
No. 85 task force (task force) concluded that mass incarceration has not
improved public safety, imposes high fiscal and social costs, and fails to
address the underlying causes of criminal behavior.

����
The legislature further finds that the
continued use of out-of-state private prisons weakens accountability, limits
transparency, and prioritizes cost containment over rehabilitation and public
safety.
�
Reports and community testimony
demonstrate that incarceration far from home increases trauma, disrupts family
unity, and contributes to higher rates of recidivism.
�
Consistent with the task force's
recommendations, Hawaii must transition toward a corrections system that
emphasizes treatment, rehabilitation, and community-based alternatives rooted
in evidence-based and culturally responsive practices.

����
The legislature recognizes that Native
Hawaiians and other disproportionately affected communities are overrepresented
at every stage of Hawaii's criminal legal system and are more likely to
experience incarceration, extended confinement, and out-of-state exile.
�
These disparities reflect historical,
structural, and systemic inequities, including the erosion of land, culture,
and self-determination.
�
The separation
of Native Hawaiian inmates from their
ʻ
aina,
language, and cultural practices further compounds intergenerational harm.
�
Addressing mass incarceration and ending the
use of private, out-of-state prisons is necessary to advance racial equity;
honor Hawaii's constitutional commitments; and promote healing, justice, and
community well-being.

����
Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to
require the director of corrections and rehabilitation to incrementally reduce
the number of committed felons incarcerated in private, out-of-state
correctional institutions.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section
353-16.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to
read as follows:

����
"(a)
�
The director may effect the transfer of a
committed felon to any correctional institution located in another state
regardless of whether the state is a member of the Western Interstate
Corrections Compact; provided that the institution is in compliance with
appropriate health, safety, and sanitation codes of the state, provides a level
of program activity for the inmate that is suitable, and is operated by that
state, by any of its political subdivisions, or by a private institution; [
and
]
provided further that the transfer is either:

����
(1)
�
In
the interest of the security[
,
]
or
management of the correctional
institution where the inmate is presently placed, or the reduction of prison
overcrowding; or

����
(2)
�
In
the interest of the inmate[
.
]
;

provided
further that beginning on July 1, 2029, the director shall reduce the number of
committed felons incarcerated in private, out-of-state correctional
institutions by twenty-five per cent; provided further that beginning on July
1, 2031, the director shall reduce the number of committed felons incarcerated
in private, out-of-state correctional institutions by fifty per cent.

����
As used in this section, "private,
out-of-state correctional institution" includes any correctional
institution outside the State operated for profit or under a public-private
partnership.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

The department of corrections and rehabilitation shall submit a report
to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to convening of the regular
sessions of 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, and 2032 on its actions and progress
in meeting the reduction in the number of committed felons incarcerated in
private, out-of-state correctional institutions as required by this Act.

����
SECTION
4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Corrections;
Private, Out-of-state Prisons; Reduction; Reports

Description:

Requires
the Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation to incrementally reduce the
number
of individuals incarcerated in private, out-of-state correctional institutions
.
�

Requires reports to the Legislature.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.