HB580 • 2026

RELATING TO DANGEROUS DRUGS.

Crime

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: HOLT, GARCIA, LAMOSAO, LEE, M., LOWEN, MARTEN, MIYAKE
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific jail time ranges for selling dangerous drugs in small amounts or exact dates when the bill would start to apply.

Rules for Punishing Dangerous Drugs

This bill sets mandatory minimum jail times for people convicted of possessing dangerous drugs like methamphetamine or fentanyl, with longer sentences if they have prior convictions related to these substances.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one to two years for promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree when the conviction is based on possession of methamphetamine or fentanyl.
Increases the mandatory minimum sentence to two to four years if the person has one prior conviction related to methamphetamine or fentanyl possession.
Raises the mandatory minimum term to five to eight years if there are two prior convictions for methamphetamine or fentanyl possession.
Imposes a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence for three or more prior convictions involving methamphetamine or fentanyl.

Who It Names or Affects

People convicted of promoting dangerous drugs in the third degree based on possession of methamphetamine or fentanyl
Individuals with prior convictions related to methamphetamine or fentanyl possession

Terms To Know

Mandatory minimum term of imprisonment: The shortest amount of time someone must spend in jail as a punishment for breaking the law.
Promoting dangerous drugs: Selling or distributing illegal drugs.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how many people will be affected by this bill.
The exact date when this bill would start to apply has not been set yet.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO DANGEROUS DRUGS.
Sentencing; Mandatory Minimum; Promoting Dangerous Drugs; Methamphetamine; Fentanyl
Establishes a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree if the conviction is predicated on the possession of methamphetamine or fentanyl, and progressive mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment if the person has prior convictions predicated on the trafficking of methamphetamine or the possession of methamphetamine or fentanyl.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB580

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

580

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to dangerous drugs
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section
712-1243, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�712-1243
�
Promoting a dangerous drug in the third
degree.
�
(1)
�
A
person commits the offense of promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree if
the person knowingly possesses any dangerous drug in any amount.

����
(2)
�

Promoting a dangerous drug in the third degree is a class C felony[
.
]
;
provided that, notwithstanding sections 706‑660 and 706-669 and any other
law to the contrary:

����
(a)
�
If a person is
convicted pursuant to this section and methamphetamine or fentanyl is the drug
upon which the conviction is predicated, the mandatory minimum term of
imprisonment shall be not less than one year and not greater than two years;

����
(b)
�
If a person has one prior conviction for
methamphetamine or fentanyl possession pursuant to this section; promoting a dangerous
drug in the first degree pursuant to section 712-1241 and methamphetamine or
fentanyl was the drug upon which the conviction was predicated; or section 712-1240.8,
as that section was in effect prior to July 1, 2016, the mandatory minimum term
of imprisonment shall be not less than two years and not greater than four
years;

����
(c)
�
If a person has
two prior convictions for methamphetamine or fentanyl possession pursuant to
this section; promoting a dangerous drug in the first degree pursuant to
section 712-1241 and methamphetamine or fentanyl was the drug upon which the
conviction was predicated; or section 712-1240.8, as that section was in effect
prior to July 1, 2016, the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment shall be not
less than five years and not greater than eight years; and

����
(d)
�
If a person has
three or more prior convictions for methamphetamine or fentanyl possession
pursuant to this section; promoting a dangerous drug in the first degree
pursuant to section 712-1241 and methamphetamine or fentanyl was the drug upon
which the conviction was predicated; or section 712-1240.8, as that section was
in effect prior to July 1, 2016, the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment
shall be ten years.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
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:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Sentencing;
Mandatory Minimum; Promoting Dangerous Drugs; Methamphetamine; Fentanyl

Description:

Establishes
a
mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for promoting a dangerous drug
in the third degree if the conviction is predicated on the possession of
methamphetamine or fentanyl, and progressive mandatory minimum terms of
imprisonment if the person has prior convictions predicated on the trafficking
of methamphetamine or the possession of methamphetamine or fentanyl.

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