SB2494 • 2026

RELATING TO CORRUPTION.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: KEOHOKALOLE, CHANG, ELEFANTE, LAMOSAO, MCKELVEY, RHOADS, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Ihara, Wakai
Last action: 2026-05-07
Official status: Enrolled to Governor.
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 CORRUPTION.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO CORRUPTION.
Bribery; Statute of Limitations Establishes a statute of limitations of nine years for a bribery offense.
(CD1)

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.

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: SB2494 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2494 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2494 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII C.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2494 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2494 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2494 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRUPTION .

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-07 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-05-05 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 814).
2026-05-01 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Fukunaga).
2026-05-01 H
Deferred one day 05-06-26.
2026-04-29 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 05-01-26.
2026-04-29 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 12-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-04-29 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-01-26.
2026-04-29 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 12-26).
2026-04-22 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-22 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-21 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-22-26 2:00PM in conference room 325.
2026-04-20 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714).
2026-04-20 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Gabbard, Awa.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Shimizu.
2026-04-10 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 564).
2026-04-07 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-07 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 477).
2026-04-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Olds, Quinlan excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-01 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-04-01 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1586-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-03-19 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Cochran, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Sayama.
2026-03-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-19-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 16
2026-03-10 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-06 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 57).
2026-03-06 S
Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
One Day Notice 3/06/2026.
2026-03-05 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2801) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-24 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-24-26 9:45AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-03 S
The committee(s) on PSM deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-04-26 3:02PM; CR 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-02 S
Re-Referred to JDC.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 3:02PM; CR 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to PSM, JDC.
2026-01-22 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-22 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CORRUPTION.
Bribery; Statute of Limitations
Establishes a statute of limitations of nine years for a bribery offense. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2494

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2494

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to corruption
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that when an individual is charged with a federal offense and
an offense under state law, the federal investigation and prosecution of that
individual takes precedence over those of the State.
�
In the event that the length or outcome of a
federal investigation precludes the statute of limitations for the prosecution
of a crime under state law, the indicted may avoid prosecution in the State,
resulting in a miscarriage of justice.
�

Bribery, for example, is a class B felony, and generally, state law
provides for a statute of limitations of three years for class B felonies.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
establish a statute of limitations of nine years for a bribery offense.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 710-1040, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�710-1040
�
Bribery.
�
(1)
�
A
person commits the offense of bribery if:

����
(a)
�
The person confers, or offers or agrees to
confer, directly or indirectly, any pecuniary benefit upon a public servant
with the intent to influence the public servant's vote, opinion, judgment,
exercise of discretion, or other action in the public servant's official
capacity; or

����
(b)
�
While a public servant, the person solicits,
accepts, or agrees to accept, directly or indirectly, any pecuniary benefit
with the intent that the person's vote, opinion, judgment, exercise of
discretion, or other action as a public servant will thereby be influenced.

����
(2)
�

It is a defense to a prosecution under subsection (1) that the accused
conferred or agreed to confer the pecuniary benefit as a result of extortion or
coercion.

����
(3)
�

For
the
purposes of this section, "public servant"
includes in addition to persons who occupy the position of public servant as
defined in section [
[
]710-1000[
]
], persons who have been elected,
appointed, or designated to become a public servant although not yet occupying
that position.

����
(4)
�

Bribery is a class B felony.
�
A
person convicted of violating this section, notwithstanding any law to the
contrary, shall not be eligible for a deferred acceptance of guilty plea or
nolo contendere plea under chapter 853.

����
(5)
�

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, including section 701-108,
prosecution for an offense under subsection (1) shall commence within nine
years from the date the offense of bribery is committed.
"

����
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:

Bribery;
Statute of Limitations

Description:

Establishes
a statute of limitations of nine years for a bribery offense.

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