HB2088 • 2026

RELATING TO ADOPTIONS.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-04-29
Official status: Act 005, on 04/28/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1105).
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 ADOPTIONS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO ADOPTIONS.
Judiciary Package; Family Courts; Adoptions; Consent; Notary Adds the requirement that a written consent to adoption be notarized.

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.

Bill History

2026-04-29 H
Act 005, on 04/28/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1105).
2026-04-29 S
Act 005, 04/28/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1105).
2026-04-14 H
Transmitted to Governor.
2026-04-14 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 565).
2026-04-14 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-10 S
One Day Notice 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3756) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.
2026-04-01 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3301) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:40PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to HHS, JDC.
2026-03-10 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 181).
2026-03-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Hashem, Olds, Perruso, Quinlan, Sayama excused (5). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Passed Second Reading; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1).
2026-03-05 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 891-26), recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-04 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 02-04-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO ADOPTIONS.
Judiciary Package; Family Courts; Adoptions; Consent; Notary
Adds the requirement that a written consent to adoption be notarized.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2088

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2088

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to Adoptions
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 578-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

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"(a)
�
Persons required to consent to adoption.
�
Unless consent is not required or is
dispensed with under subsection (c), a petition to adopt a child may be granted
only if written consent to the proposed adoption has been
notarized by a
notary public in this or any other jurisdiction and
executed by:

����
(1)
�
The birthing
parent of the child;

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(2)
�
A legal
non-birthing parent to whom the child is a legitimate child;

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(3)
�
An adjudicated
non-birthing parent whose relationship to the child has been determined by a
court;

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(4)
�
A presumed
non-birthing parent under subsection (d);

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(5)
�
A concerned
natural non-birthing parent who is not the legal, adjudicated, or presumed
non-birthing parent but who has demonstrated a reasonable degree of interest,
concern, or responsibility as to the welfare of a child, either:

���������
(A)
�
During the first
thirty days after the child's birth;

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(B)
�
Before the
execution of a valid consent by the birthing parent of the child; or

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(C)
�
Before the
placement of the child with adoptive parents;

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whichever period of time is
greater;

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(6)
�
Any person or
agency having legal custody of the child or legally empowered to consent;

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(7)
�
The court having
jurisdiction of the custody of the child, if the legal guardian or legal
custodian of the person of the child is not empowered to consent to adoption;
and

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(8)
�
The child to be
adopted if the child is more than ten years of age, unless the court, in the
best interest of the child, dispenses with the child's consent.

����
(b)
�
A petition to adopt an adult may be granted
only if written consent to adoption has been
notarized by a notary public in
this or any other jurisdiction and
executed by the adult and the adult's
spouse, if the adult is married."

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SECTION
2.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

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SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Judiciary
Package; Family Courts; Adoptions; Consent; Notary

Description:

Adds the
requirement that a written consent to adoption be notarized.

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