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HB389 • 2026

RELATING TO UNCREWED AIRCRAFT OFFENSES.

RELATING TO UNCREWED AIRCRAFT OFFENSES.

Crime Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
Transmitted to Governor.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on how police officers and government workers are exempted from the new laws, only that they are not subject to certain subsections of the amendments.

Rules about Using Unmanned Aircraft

This bill clarifies that using an unmanned aircraft to help commit a serious crime (felony) is now a specific offense.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies the applicable felony offenses for using an uncrewed aircraft in furtherance of committing a felony.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who misuse unmanned aircraft in ways that help commit serious crimes (felonies).

Terms To Know

Uncrewed Aircraft
A flying machine that does not have a person on board to control it directly, like a drone.
Felony
A serious crime that can lead to more than one year in prison or death penalty.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact penalties for breaking these new laws.
  • It is unclear how this law will be enforced and who will decide when it has been broken.

Amendments

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

HD1

1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes certain rules about uncrewed aircraft offenses, clarifying which people are exempt from some restrictions and adding details to the misuse of uncrewed aircraft offense.

  • Police officers, deputy sheriffs, adult corrections officers, correctional workers, and fire department personnel acting within their duties are now explicitly exempt from certain restrictions on uncrewed aircraft use.
  • The amendment adds a new clause (g) to section 711-1123(1), which makes it an offense to use an uncrewed aircraft in furtherance of committing any felony not already listed in the statute.
  • Some parts of the amendment text are technical and may be hard for non-lawyers to understand fully.
  • The exact impact on current laws and enforcement practices is unclear without additional context.
SD1

3

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment changes how uncrewed aircraft offenses are handled by clarifying exceptions for government personnel and adding details about felony misuse of such aircraft.

  • Adds an exception to certain restrictions on uncrewed aircraft operations for individuals acting under the authority or contract with federal, state, or county governments.
  • Clarifies that using an uncrewed aircraft in furtherance of a felony not listed elsewhere is also illegal and can result in additional charges beyond those for the original felony.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how these changes will be enforced or what penalties may apply.
  • Some technical legal language makes it difficult to fully explain all implications without further context.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-24 S

    Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 823).

  2. 2026-04-23 H

    Transmitted to Governor.

  3. 2026-04-23 H

    Passed Final Reading as amended in SD 1 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Evslin excused (1).

  4. 2026-04-23 H

    House agrees to Senate amendment(s).

  5. 2026-04-23 S

    Received notice of House reconsideration of action in disagreeing to the amendments proposed by the Senate (Hse. Com. No. 814).

  6. 2026-04-22 H

    Reconsideration of action taken on 04-14-26.

  7. 2026-04-16 S

    Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).

  8. 2026-04-14 H

    House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

  9. 2026-04-10 H

    Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 518) in amended form (SD 1).

  10. 2026-04-10 S

    Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

  11. 2026-04-09 S

    One Day Notice 04-10-26.

  12. 2026-04-09 S

    Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3654) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.

  13. 2026-03-31 S

    The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

  14. 2026-03-25 S

    The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 03-31-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

  15. 2026-03-18 S

    Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.

  16. 2026-03-18 S

    Reported from TRS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3101) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

  17. 2026-03-12 S

    The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TRS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kanuha, Lee, C..

  18. 2026-03-06 S

    The committee(s) on TRS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-12-26 3:01PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

  19. 2026-02-02 S

    Re-Referred to TRS, JDC.

  20. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  21. 2025-03-06 S

    Referred to TCA, JDC.

  22. 2025-03-06 S

    Passed First Reading.

  23. 2025-03-06 S

    Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 223).

  24. 2025-03-04 H

    Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

  25. 2025-02-27 H

    Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4).

  26. 2025-02-27 H

    Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 824) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.

  27. 2025-02-19 H

    The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

  28. 2025-02-14 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 02-19-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  29. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1

  30. 2025-01-17 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  31. 2025-01-16 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO UNCREWED AIRCRAFT OFFENSES.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package; Uncrewed Aircraft; Criminal Offenses
Clarifies the applicable felony offenses for using an uncrewed aircraft in the furtherance of the commission of a felony. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB389

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

389

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO UNCREWED AIRCRAFT OFFENSES
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 711-1121, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended as follows:

����
1.
�

By amending subsection (1) to read:

����
"
(1)
�
A person commits the offense
of misuse of
uncrewed
aircraft in the first degree
if the person intentionally or knowingly:

����
(a)
�
Equips
or arms an
uncrewed
aircraft
with a firearm, explosive, electric gun, or weapon of mass destruction;

����
(b)
�
Possesses,
receives, transfers, operates, or produces an
uncrewed
aircraft that is equipped or armed with a firearm,
explosive, electric gun, or weapon of mass destruction;

����
(c)
�
Discharges
or deploys a firearm, explosive, electric gun, or weapon of mass destruction
using an
uncrewed
aircraft;

����
(d)
�
Operates
an
uncrewed
aircraft and thereby
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly interferes with or disrupts the
operation of any manned aircraft;

����
(e)
�
Uses
an
uncrewed
aircraft to
transport and introduce, or to attempt to transport and introduce, contraband,
drugs, or dangerous instruments into a prison; [
or
]

����
(f)
�
Operates
an
uncrewed
aircraft and thereby
causes serious bodily injury to another person[
.
]
; or

����
(g)
�
Uses
an uncrewed aircraft in furtherance of the commission of a felony.
"

����
2.
�

By amending subsection (3) to read:

����
"(3)
�

Subsection (1)(a), (b), (c), (d), and [
(g)
]
(f)
shall not
apply to any police officer, deputy sheriff, adult corrections officer,
correctional worker, or fire department personnel acting within the course and
scope of their duties, or to any other person acting under the authority of, or
pursuant to a contract with, the United States or a state or county government,
or any department or agency of the United States or a state or county
government."

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 711-1123, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (1) to read as follows:

����
"
(1)
�
A person commits the offense
of misuse of uncrewed aircraft in the third degree if the person intentionally,
knowingly, or recklessly:

����
(a)
�
Removes,
obliterates, alters, or tampers with the identification or registration number
of an
uncrewed
aircraft;

����
(b)
�
Operates
an
uncrewed
aircraft and thereby
obstructs, impairs, or hinders the performance of a police officer, deputy
sheriff, or fire department personnel acting under color of their official
authority;

����
(c)
�
Operates
an
uncrewed
aircraft and thereby
causes bodily injury to another person;

����
(d)
�
Operates
an
uncrewed
aircraft and thereby
damages the property of another, without the other's consent, in an amount
exceeding $750;

����
(e)
�
Operates
an
uncrewed
aircraft while under
the influence of an intoxicant;
or

����
(f)
�
Operates
an
uncrewed
aircraft after the
person's license, certificate, or privilege to operate an
uncrewed
aircraft has been revoked,
suspended, or otherwise restricted by the issuing governmental authority[
;
or

����
(g)
�
Uses
an
uncrewed
aircraft in
furtherance of the commission of a felony
]."

����
SECTION 3.
�

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

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Honolulu
Prosecuting Attorney Package; Uncrewed Aircraft; Criminal Offenses

Description:

Increases
the penalty for using an uncrewed aircraft in the furtherance of the commission
of a felony.

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