SB2055 • 2026

RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: KEOHOKALOLE, CHANG, FUKUNAGA, RICHARDS, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Hashimoto, Kanuha
Last action: 2026-03-25
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Gedeon, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Pierick voting no (4) and Representative(s) Matsumoto, Perruso excused (2).
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 CIVIL RIGHTS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
Civil Rights Commission; Civil Rights Violations; Helpline; Annual Report; Monthly Report; Appropriations ($) Requires the Civil Rights Commission to establish a twenty-four-hour intake helpline to assist individuals who experience or witness civil rights violations in the State.
Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile an annual report and hold an annual public hearing on data obtained through the helpline.
Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile and submit to the Legislature, and post on its website, a monthly preliminary report on data obtained through the helpline.

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: SB2055 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2055 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2055 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2055 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2055 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2055 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS .

Bill History

2026-03-25 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Gedeon, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Pierick voting no (4) and Representative(s) Matsumoto, Perruso excused (2).
2026-03-25 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1410-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-03-17 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and Excused: none.
2026-03-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-17-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 16
2026-03-10 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-06 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 36) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-06 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 21; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
One Day Notice 03-06-26.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2826) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Fevella; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-27 S
The committee on WAM has rescheduled its decision making to 03-02-26 10:02AM; CR 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-23 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-02-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-11 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2157) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) San Buenaventura.
2026-01-27 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 01-30-26 10:00AM; CR 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-22 S
Referred to JDC, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
Civil Rights Commission; Civil Rights Violations; Helpline; Annual Report; Monthly Report; Appropriations ($)
Requires the Civil Rights Commission to establish a twenty-four-hour intake helpline to assist individuals who experience or witness civil rights violations in the State. Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile an annual report and hold an annual public hearing on data obtained through the helpline. Requires the Civil Rights Commission to compile and submit to the Legislature, and post on its website, a monthly preliminary report on data obtained through the helpline. Appropriates funds to establish an unspecified number of Civil Rights Investigator, Data Analyst, and Program Manager positions within the Civil Rights Commission. Appropriates funds for the Civil Rights Commission to contract with Aloha United Way to implement the twenty-four-hour intake helpline and for website and data development costs. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2055

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2055

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to civil rights
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 368,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�368-
�
Civil
rights violations helpline; established.
�

(a)
�
The civil rights commission shall establish
and maintain a twenty-four hour, toll-free telephone helpline to assist
individuals who have been harmed, whose immediate or extended family have been
harmed, or who witness harm by federal troop deployments, federal law
enforcement, or immigration enforcement operations in the State.

����
(b)
�
The helpline shall:

����
(1)
�
Assist
individuals in finding resources, including all county and state government
assistance programs for which they are eligible, information on social and
legal assistance, and school emergency response, crisis intervention, and other
programs for students;

����
(2)
�
Receive
anonymized calls relating to allegations or complaints of misconduct or harm
caused by any federal law enforcement officer or military personnel operating
in the State; and

����
(3)
�
Have
voicemail capabilities, an internet website, and provide translation and
disability access services.

����
(c)
�

Reports to the helpline of violations of state civil rights law shall be
investigated by the civil rights commission.

����
(d)
�

The civil rights commission shall advertise the helpline and make
materials available to the public to encourage reports to the helpline for
those who experience or witness civil rights violations.

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(e)
�

All reports and other communications to the helpline shall remain
confidential pursuant to section 368-4.

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(f)
�

The civil rights commission shall maintain a secure database of all
reports received by the helpline.

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(g)
�

The civil rights commission shall compile and submit an annual report to
the legislature that includes aggregated data from the helpline and information
on federal law enforcement and military deployments in the State.
�
All personally identifiable information in
the report shall be redacted.
�
The report
shall include the following:

����
(1)
�
Number
and type of reports received by the helpline;

����
(2)
�
Law
enforcement agencies involved;

����
(3)
�
Number
of arrests made, including the offense, charges filed, final disposition, and
amount of time between the initial arrest and disposition;

����
(4)
�
Patterns
or trends regarding misconduct, excessive use of force, racial profiling, and
other federal and state civil rights violations; and

����
(5)
�
Recommendations
for policy and training improvements.

����
(h)
�

The civil rights commission shall convene at least one public hearing
every calendar year to present findings from the annual public report described
in subsection (g).
�
The civil rights
commission shall provide public notice of the hearing.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Civil
Rights Commission; Civil Rights; Helpline; Federal Deployments; Annual Report

Description:

Requires the
Civil Rights Commission to establish a helpline for individuals to submit
reports of harms from federal deployments in the State.
�
Requires the Civil Rights Commission to
compile an annual report and hold an annual public hearing on data obtained
through the helpline.

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