SB2251 • 2026

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

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Sponsor: KOUCHI (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-02-17
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
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.

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

What This Bill Does

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package; Victim Witness Assistance Program; VOCA; GIA; Report; Appropriation ($) Requires the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu to submit a report to the Legislature.
Appropriates grant-in-aid moneys to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for the Victim Witness Assistance Program.
(SD1)

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

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SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2251 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2251 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2251 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM .

Bill History

2026-02-17 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-17 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2285) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-03 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to JDC, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-14 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE VICTIM WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Package; Victim Witness Assistance Program; VOCA; GIA; Report; Appropriation ($)
Requires the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu to submit a report to the Legislature. Appropriates grant-in-aid moneys to the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the City and County of Honolulu for the Victim Witness Assistance Program. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2251

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2251

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

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.
�
The legislature finds that the department
of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu receives federal
funding from the Victims of Crime Act to support the victim witness assistance
program.
�
Over the last several years,
there has been a steady decline in these federal Victims of Crime Act funds.
�
Victims of Crime Act is funded through the
crime victims fund, which receives its funding from criminal fines and
forfeitures, rather than taxpayer dollars.

����
The
legislature further finds that the decline in Victims of Crime Act funding is
primarily due to a decrease in revenue collected from fines and penalties
imposed on federal offenders.
�
This
funding supports the salaries of the victim witness counselors who serve a
pivotal role in court cases and support victims of crimes as their cases move
through the criminal justice system.

����
The
legislature also finds that in the upcoming fiscal year 2026-2027, the
department of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu will
see the most drastic cut to its Victims of Crime Act funds since its inception,
declining by forty per cent.
�
As a
result, the department requires additional state funding in the amount of
$500,000 for fiscal year 2026‑2027 to maintain a complete level of
service for the victim witness assistance program to serve victims of crime in
the county.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to appropriate moneys to the department of the
prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu to fill the gap in
federal funding with state funds.

����
SECTION 2.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 as a grant-in-aid to the
department
of the prosecuting attorney of the city and county of Honolulu
for
the victim witness
assistance program, including the hiring of necessary staff
.

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

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

By Request

Report Title:

Honolulu
Prosecuting Attorney Package; Victim Witness Assistance Program; VOCA; GIA;
Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
grant-in-aid moneys to the
Department of the Prosecuting Attorney of the
City and County of Honolulu for the Victim Witness Assistance Program.

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