SB2731 • 2026

RELATING TO SENTENCING.

Crime

Active

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

Sponsor: RHOADS, CHANG
Last action: 2026-04-16
Official status: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
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 SENTENCING.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO SENTENCING.
Penal Code; Misdemeanors; Sentencing; Nonviolent Offenses Limits the maximum term of imprisonment for misdemeanors, or for offenses punishable by up to or not exceeding one year, to three hundred sixty-four days.
Allows individuals previously sentenced to a one-year term of imprisonment to apply to the court for a sentence modification to conform to the new limit.
Effective 7/1/3000.

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: SB2731 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2731 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2731 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2731 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2731 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2731 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SENTENCING .

Bill History

2026-04-16 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
2026-04-16 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-16 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 696).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Cochran, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Kila, Olds, Pierick voting no (4) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-09 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Alcos, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
2026-04-09 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1981-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-03-31 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Sayama.
2026-03-25 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 03-31-26 2:00PM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-18 H
The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2026-03-16 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 03-18-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 289) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
48 Hrs. Notice 3/10/2026.
2026-03-05 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-03-05 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2813) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
2026-02-25 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, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-18 S
The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 02-25-26 10:45AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 9:05AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-04 S
Re-Referred to JDC.
2026-01-30 S
Referred to PSM, JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SENTENCING.
Penal Code; Misdemeanors; Sentencing; Nonviolent Offenses
Limits the maximum term of imprisonment for misdemeanors, or for offenses punishable by up to or not exceeding one year, to three hundred sixty-four days. Allows individuals previously sentenced to a one-year term of imprisonment to apply to the court for a sentence modification to conform to the new limit. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2731

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2731

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO SENTENCING
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 706, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

����
"
�706-
�
Limitation
on term of imprisonment for offenses punishable by up to or not exceeding one
year; sentence modification.
�
(1)
�
Notwithstanding
any other law to the contrary, any offense punishable under state law by a term
of imprisonment up to or not exceeding one year shall be punishable by a term
of imprisonment not to exceed three hundred sixty-four days.

����
(2)
�
A
person who was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of one year before the
effective date of this Act may submit an application to the trial court that
entered the judgment of conviction to modify the sentence to a term not to
exceed the maximum term specified in subsection (1).
"

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section
706-663, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�706-663
�
Sentence of imprisonment for misdemeanor and
petty misdemeanor.
�
After consideration of the factors set forth
in sections 706-606 and 706-621, the court may sentence a person who has been
convicted of a misdemeanor or a petty misdemeanor to imprisonment for a
definite term to be fixed by the court and not to exceed [
one year
]
three
hundred sixty-four days
in the case of a misdemeanor or thirty days in the
case of a petty misdemeanor.
"

����
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:

Penal
Code; Misdemeanors; Sentencing

Description:

Limits
the maximum term of imprisonment for misdemeanors, or for offenses punishable
by up to or not exceeding one year, to three hundred sixty-four days.
�
Allows individuals previously sentenced to a
one-year term of imprisonment to apply to the court for a sentence modification
to conform to the new limit.

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