SB1520 • 2026

RELATING TO FAMILY.

Active

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

Sponsor: RHOADS, SAN BUENAVENTURA
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
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 FAMILY.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO FAMILY.
Paternity Proceedings; Divorce Proceedings; Domestic Abuse; Mediation Establishes an exemption from mediation in paternity proceedings where there are allegations of domestic abuse.
Clarifies the exemption from mediation in divorce proceedings as it relates to domestic abuse.
(HD1)

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.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB1520 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB1520 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
1520 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB1520 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB1520 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
1520 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FAMILY .

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-23 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 866).
2025-04-23 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: San Buenaventura Chair; Rhoads Co-Chair; Hashimoto, Fevella.
2025-04-23 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 802).
2025-04-22 H
House Conferees Appointed: Marten, Tarnas Co-Chairs; Lamosao, Garcia.
2025-04-03 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 481).
2025-04-03 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2025-04-03 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 448).
2025-04-02 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-04-02 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1756), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-03-25 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, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kahaloa.
2025-03-21 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-25-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-21 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5).
2025-03-21 H
Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1436) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2025-03-20 H
The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Takenouchi.
2025-03-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Thursday, 03-20-25 10:15AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-03-06 H
Referred to HSH, JHA, referral sheet 19
2025-03-06 H
Pass First Reading
2025-03-04 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 363) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-03-04 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-02-28 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25.
2025-02-28 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1044) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2025-02-20 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.
2025-02-18 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-20-25 10:01AM; CR 016 & Videoconference.
2025-02-14 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC.
2025-02-14 S
Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 497) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC.
2025-02-03 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, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-01-31 S
The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025-01-27 S
Referred to HHS, JDC.
2025-01-23 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2025-01-22 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO FAMILY.
Paternity Proceedings; Divorce Proceedings; Domestic Abuse; Mediation
Establishes an exemption from mediation in paternity proceedings where there are allegations of domestic abuse. Clarifies the exemption from mediation in divorce proceedings as it relates to domestic abuse. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1520

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1520

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO FAMILY
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 584, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

����
"
�584-
�
Domestic abuse; exemption from mediation
in paternity proceedings.
�
(a)
�

In contested paternity proceedings where there are allegations of
domestic abuse, the court shall not require a party alleging the domestic abuse
to participate in any component of any mediation program against the wishes of
that party.

����
(b)
�
A mediator who receives a
referral or order from a court to conduct mediation shall screen for the
occurrence of domestic abuse between the parties.
�
A mediator shall not engage in mediation when
it appears to the mediator, or when either party asserts, that domestic abuse
has occurred, unless:

����
(1)
�
Mediation is authorized by the
alleged victim of the domestic abuse;

����
(2)
�
Mediation is provided, in a
specialized manner that protects the safety of the alleged victim, by a
mediator who is trained in the field of domestic abuse; and

����
(3)
�
The alleged victim may have in
attendance at mediation a supporting person of the alleged victim's choice,
including but not limited to an attorney or advocate.
�
If the alleged victim chooses to exercise this
option, any other party to the mediation may have in attendance at mediation a
supporting person of that party's choice, including but not limited to an
attorney or advocate.

����
(c)
�
The court shall not require a
party alleging domestic abuse to participate in any component of any mediation
program against the wishes of that party if a temporary restraining order or a
protective order is in effect with regard to the parties.

����
(d)
�
If a party has alleged
domestic abuse and a temporary restraining order or a protective order is not
in effect with regard to the parties, the court may order mediation or refer
either party to mediation only if:

����
(1)
�
Mediation is authorized by the
alleged victim of the domestic abuse;

����
(2)
�
Mediation is provided, in a
specialized manner that protects the safety of the alleged victim, by a
mediator who is trained in the field of domestic abuse; and

����
(3)
�
The alleged victim may have in
attendance at mediation a supporting person of the alleged victim's choice,
including but not limited to an attorney or advocate. If the alleged victim
chooses to exercise this option, any other party to the mediation may have in
attendance at mediation a supporting person of that party's choice, including
but not limited to an attorney or advocate.

����
(e)
�
As used in this section,
"domestic abuse" has the same meaning as in section 586-1.
"

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 580-41.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�580-41.5
�

[
Battered spouses;
]
Domestic abuse;
exemption from
mediation in divorce proceedings.
�

(a)
�
In contested divorce
proceedings where there are allegations of [
spousal
]
domestic

abuse, the court shall not require a party alleging the [
spousal
]
domestic

abuse to participate in any component of any mediation program against the
wishes of that party.

����
(b)
�
A mediator who receives a referral or order
from a court to conduct mediation shall screen for the occurrence of [
family
violence
]
domestic abuse
between the parties.
�
A mediator shall not engage in mediation when
it appears to the mediator
,
or when either party asserts
,
that [
family
violence
]
domestic abuse
has occurred
,
unless:

����
(1)
�
Mediation is authorized by the
alleged

victim of the [
alleged family violence;
]
domestic abuse;

����
(2)
�
Mediation is provided
,
in a specialized
manner that protects the safety of the
alleged
victim
,
by a
mediator who is trained in [
family violence;
]
the field of domestic
abuse;
and

����
(3)
�
The
alleged
victim [
is permitted to
]

may
have in attendance at mediation[
,
] a supporting person of the

alleged
victim's choice
,
including but not limited to an attorney
or advocate.
�
If the
alleged

victim chooses to exercise [
such
]
this
option, any other party to
the mediation [
will be permitted to
]
may
have in attendance at
mediation[
,
] a supporting person of [
the
]
that
party's
choice
,
including but not limited to an attorney or advocate.

����
(c)
�
In a proceeding concerning the custody or
visitation of a child, if a
temporary restraining order or a
protective
order is in effect[
,
]
with regard to the parties,
the court shall
not require a party alleging [
family violence
]
domestic abuse
to
participate in any component of any mediation program against the wishes of
that party.

����
(d)
�
In a proceeding concerning the custody or
visitation of a child, if [
there is an allegation of family violence
]
a
party has alleged domestic abuse
and a
temporary restraining order or a

protective order is not in effect[
,
]
with regard to the parties,

the court may order mediation or refer either party to mediation only if:

����
(1)
�
Mediation is authorized by the
alleged

victim of the [
alleged family violence;
]
domestic abuse;

����
(2)
�
Mediation is provided
,
in a specialized
manner that protects the safety of the
alleged
victim
,
by a
mediator who is trained in [
family violence;
]
the field of domestic
abuse;
and

����
(3)
�
The
alleged
victim [
is permitted to
]

may
have in attendance at mediation[
,
] a supporting person of the

alleged
victim's choice
,
including but not limited to an attorney
or advocate.
�
If the
alleged

victim chooses to exercise [
such
]
this
option, any other party to
the mediation [
will be permitted to
]
may
have in attendance at
mediation[
,
] a supporting person of [
the
]
that
party's
choice
,
including but not limited to an attorney or advocate.

����
(e)
�
As used in this section, "domestic
abuse" has the same meaning as in section 586-1.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

����
SECTION
4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Paternity
Proceedings; Divorce Proceedings; Domestic Abuse; Mediation

Description:

Establishes
an exemption from mediation in paternity proceedings where there are
allegations of domestic abuse.
�
Clarifies
the exemption from mediation in divorce proceedings as it relates to domestic
abuse.

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