KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Hawaii

HB394 • 2026

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Budget Taxes
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
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of the bill is July 1, 3000 in the official summary text, which seems to be an error or placeholder and should likely be corrected.

Money for Helping Victims in Court

This bill gives money to help victims and witnesses who are involved in court cases in Honolulu.

What This Bill Does

  • Appropriates $736,785 from the state's general revenues as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu Department of Prosecuting Attorney for the Victim Witness Assistance Program.
  • The money can be used by the department to hire necessary staff.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Victims and witnesses who are involved in court cases in Honolulu
  • The City and County of Honolulu Department of Prosecuting Attorney

Terms To Know

Grant-in-aid
Money given by the government to help a specific project or program.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify exactly how many staff members will be hired.
  • It is unclear if this funding will continue after fiscal year 2025-2026.

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 appropriates funds from the state's general revenues to support the Victim Witness Assistance Program in Honolulu.

  • Appropriates money from the state’s general revenue for fiscal year 2025-2026 to help the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney with their Victim Witness Assistance Program.
  • The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems incorrect or possibly a placeholder.
  • It is unclear why the effective date is set so far in the future and what the actual intended start date should be.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-02-14 H

    Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

  3. 2025-02-14 H

    Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 734) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

  4. 2025-02-07 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, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran.

  5. 2025-02-04 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Friday, 02-07-25 2:05PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  6. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1

  7. 2025-01-17 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  8. 2025-01-16 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
City and County of Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package; Victim Witness Assistance Program; Appropriation; GIA ($)
Appropriates funds as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney for the Victim Witness Assistance Program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB394

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

394

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

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.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $736,785 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 as a grant-in-aid to the city and county
of Honolulu department of the prosecuting attorney for the victim witness
assistance program, including the hiring of necessary staff.

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

����
SECTION 2.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

City and
County of Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package; Victim Witness Assistance
Program; Appropriation; GIA

Description:

Appropriates
moneys as a grant-in-aid to the City and County of Honolulu Department of the
Prosecuting Attorney 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.