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HB402 • 2026

RELATING TO PROSPECTIVE JURORS.

RELATING TO PROSPECTIVE JURORS.

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 official source material does not provide details on how judges will ensure all potential jurors receive these forms or what new methods might replace mailing for delivering and returning juror qualification forms.

Changes to Jury Qualification Forms

This bill allows judges to decide how jury qualification forms are made and sent out, and it no longer requires these forms to be mailed.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Judiciary to choose the format of the juror qualification form.
  • Gives the Judiciary control over how the form is delivered and returned by potential jurors.
  • Removes the requirement that jury qualification forms must be sent through mail.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Judges and court clerks who will decide how jury qualification forms are formatted and distributed.
  • Potential jurors who will receive and fill out these forms.

Terms To Know

Juror Qualification Form
A form that potential jurors must complete to determine their eligibility for jury service.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the forms will be delivered if they cannot be mailed.
  • It is unclear what new methods might replace mailing for delivering and returning juror qualification forms.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-01-30 H

    The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.

  3. 2025-01-24 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 01-30-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  4. 2025-01-21 H

    Referred to JHA, referral sheet 1

  5. 2025-01-17 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  6. 2025-01-16 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PROSPECTIVE JURORS.
Judiciary Package; Prospective Jurors; Juror Qualification Form
Authorizes the Judiciary to determine the format of the juror qualification form and the means of its delivery and return. Removes the requirement that the form be mailed.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB402

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

402

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to prospective jurors
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Section 612-3,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately
inserted and to read as follows:

����
"
"Juror qualification
form" means the juror qualification form described in section 612-13.
"

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 612-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�

The clerk shall prepare an alphabetical list of the names in the master
jury wheel, which shall not be disclosed to any person other than pursuant to
this chapter or specific order of the court.
�

The clerk
or the clerk's designee
shall [
mail
]
make

available to every name on the list a juror qualification form accompanied by
instructions to fill out and return the form [
by mail
] to the clerk
or
the clerk's designee
within ten days after its receipt[
.
]
; provided
that the court shall determine the format of the form and the means of its
delivery and return.
�
The form shall
be subject to approval by the court and shall elicit the name, address, and age
of the prospective juror, other information pertinent to disqualification or
exemption from jury service, and any other matters as may be ordered by the
court.
�
The form also shall contain the
prospective juror's declaration that the prospective juror's responses are true
to the best of the prospective juror's knowledge and the prospective juror's
acknowledgment that a wilful misrepresentation of a material fact may be
punished by a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than
thirty days, or both.
�
Notarization of
the juror qualification form shall not be required.
�
If the prospective juror is unable to fill
out the form, another person may do it for the prospective juror and shall
indicate that the person has done so and the reason therefor.
�
In any case in which it appears that there is
an omission, ambiguity, or error in a form completed by a prospective juror,
the clerk
or the clerk's designee
may return the form with instructions
to the prospective juror to make such additions or corrections as may be
necessary and to return the form to the clerk
or the clerk's designee
within
ten days after its receipt.
�
Upon the
failure or refusal of any person duly receiving the juror qualification form to
complete and return it as required or instructed, the court, after first
summoning the person to appear before the clerk to complete or correct the form,
may punish the person for contempt."

����
SECTION 2.
�

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

����
SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Judiciary
Package; Prospective Jurors; Juror Qualification Form

Description:

Authorizes
the Judiciary to determine the format of the juror qualification form and the
means of its delivery and return.
�
Removes
the requirement that the form be mailed.

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