HB2084 • 2026

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Budget 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, FIN, referral sheet 3
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text supports funding for fiscal year 2026-2027 but does not specify if it includes hiring staff or other specific uses of the funds beyond maintaining a complete level of service.

Money for Helping Crime Victims

This bill gives $500,000 to the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney's office to help victims of crimes.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates grant-in-aid moneys from state funds to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for the Victim Witness Assistance Program.
The program helps people who are hurt by crime and need support during court cases.
Funds come from state money, not just federal grants.

Who It Names or Affects

Victims of crimes in Honolulu
Staff working at the Victim Witness Assistance Program

Terms To Know

Grant-in-aid: Money given by the government to help pay for something.
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA): A law that gives money from fines and penalties to programs helping victims of crime.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only provides funding for one year, fiscal year 2026-2027.
It does not say how the program will be funded in future years.

Bill History

2026-01-28 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package; Victim Witness Assistance Program; VOCA; GIA; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates grant-in-aid moneys to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for the Victim Witness Assistance Program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2084

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2084

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Making
an Appropriation for the Victim Witness Assistance Program
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the department
of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu receives federal
funding from the Victims of Crime Act to support the victim witness assistance
program.
�
Over the last several years,
there has been a steady decline in these federal Victims of Crime Act funds.
�
Victims of Crime Act is funded through the
crime victims fund, which receives its funding from criminal fines and
forfeitures, rather than taxpayer dollars.

����
The
legislature further finds that the decline in Victims of Crime Act funding is
primarily due to a decrease in revenue collected from fines and penalties
imposed on federal offenders.
�
This
funding supports the salaries of the victim witness counselors who serve a
pivotal role in court cases and support victims of crimes as their cases move
through the criminal justice system.

����
The
legislature also finds that in the upcoming fiscal year 2026-2027, the
department of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu will
see the most drastic cut to its Victims of Crime Act funds since its inception,
declining by forty per cent.
�
As a
result, the department requires additional state funding in the amount of
$500,000 for fiscal year 2026‑2027 to maintain a complete level of
service for the victim witness assistance program to serve victims of crime in
the county.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to appropriate moneys to the department of the
prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu to fill the gap in
federal funding with state funds.

����
SECTION 2.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 as a grant-in-aid to the
department
of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu
for
the victim witness
assistance program, including the hiring of necessary staff
.

����
The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the department of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu
for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Honolulu
Prosecuting Attorney Package; Victim Witness Assistance Program; VOCA; GIA;
Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
grant-in-aid moneys to the
Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the
City and County of Honolulu for the Victim Witness Assistance Program.

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