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HB2082 • 2026

RELATING TO BRIBERY.

RELATING TO BRIBERY.

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action
2026-01-28
Official status
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 3
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how these changes will be enforced or monitored, leaving this as an open question.

Bills to Increase Penalties for Bribery

This bill establishes heightened penalties for bribery involving elected officials, high-value bribes, or multiple offenses within a three-year period.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the penalty for bribery involving an elected official from a class B felony to a class A felony without probation or suspended sentence options.
  • Increases the penalty for bribery if the value of the bribe exceeds $20,000, making it a class A felony with no probation or suspended sentence options.
  • Raises the penalty for individuals who commit three or more acts of bribery within any three-year period to a class A felony without probation or suspended sentence options.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public servants and those who offer bribes to public servants.

Terms To Know

Class B felony
A serious crime that is less severe than a class A felony but more severe than other types of felonies.
Class A felony
The most serious type of felony, carrying the harshest penalties.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens to cases that started before this bill becomes law.
  • Does not provide details on how these changes will be enforced or monitored.
  • Does not address other aspects of bribery laws beyond the specified circumstances.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-28 H

    Referred to JHA, referral sheet 3

  2. 2026-01-26 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  3. 2026-01-23 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO BRIBERY.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package; Criminal Offense; Bribery
Establishes heightened penalties for the offense of bribery under certain circumstances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB2082

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2082

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO BRIBERY
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section
710-1040, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�710-1040
�
Bribery.
�
(1)
�
A
person commits the offense of bribery if:

����
(a)
�
The
person confers, or offers or agrees to confer, directly or indirectly, any
pecuniary benefit upon a public servant with the intent to influence the public
servant's vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion, or other action in
the public servant's official capacity; or

����
(b)
�
While
a public servant, the person solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept, directly
or indirectly, any pecuniary benefit with the intent that the person's vote,
opinion, judgment, exercise of discretion, or other action as a public servant
will thereby be influenced.

����
(2)
�

It is a defense to a prosecution under subsection (1) that the accused
conferred or agreed to confer the pecuniary benefit as a result of extortion or
coercion.

����
(3)
�

For purposes of this section, "public servant" includes in
addition to persons who occupy the position of public servant as defined in
section [
[
]710-1000[
]
], persons who have been elected, appointed,
or designated to become a public servant although not yet occupying that
position.

����
(4)
�

Bribery is a class B felony.
�
[
A
person convicted of violating this section, notwithstanding any law to the
contrary, shall not be eligible for a deferred acceptance of guilty plea or
nolo contendere plea under chapter 853.
]

����
(5)
�
Notwithstanding subsection (4), bribery is a
class A felony without the possibility of probation or suspension of sentence
if:

����
(a)
�
The public
servant is an elected or appointed official;

����
(b)
�
The value, or
aggregate value, of the pecuniary benefit described in subsections (1)(a) and
(1)(b) exceeds $20,000; or

����
(c)
�
The person
commits three or more acts of bribery as described in subsections 1(a) or 1(b)
in any three‑year period.

����
(6)
�
Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a
person convicted under this section shall not be eligible for deferred
acceptance of guilty plea or nolo contendere plea under chapter 853.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun,
before the effective date of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
If any provision of this Act, or the
application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the
invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the Act that can
be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end
the provisions of this Act are severable.

����
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:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Honolulu
Prosecuting Attorney Package; Criminal Offense; Bribery

Description:

Establishes
heightened penalties for the offense of bribery under certain circumstances.

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