SB2919 • 2026

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: RHOADS
Last action: 2026-05-01
Official status: Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:40 PM; Conference Room 325.
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 THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
Office of the Public Defender; Position; Appropriation ($) Appropriates funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position.
Effective 7/1/3000.
(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: SB2919 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2919 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2919 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2919 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2919 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2919 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER .

Bill History

2026-05-01 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:40 PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-30 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 2:00PM in conference room 325.
2026-04-29 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 2:00PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-28 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-29-26 2:00PM; CR 325.
2026-04-27 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-28-26 2:00PM in conference room 325.
2026-04-24 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Monday 04-27-26 2:00PM in conference room 325.
2026-04-23 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-26 3:10PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-22 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-23-26 2:35PM; Conference Room 325.
2026-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 718).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Elefante Co-Chair; Awa.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas, Kusch Co-Chairs; Poepoe, Garcia.
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. 714).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-10 H
Deferred one day 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2073-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-04-02 H
The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26.
2026-03-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-25 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Matsumoto, Perruso excused (2).
2026-03-25 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1416-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-03-19 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Cochran, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; 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, FIN, referral sheet 15
2026-03-05 H
Pass First Reading
2026-02-25 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 18) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-02-25 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Kidani). Transmitted to House.
2026-02-23 S
48 Hrs. Notice 02-25-26.
2026-02-23 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2704) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-02-19 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Richards.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM.
2026-02-11 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2203) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.
2026-02-10 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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.
2026-02-05 S
The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-26 9:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Referred to JDC, WAM.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
Office of the Public Defender; Position; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2919

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2919

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the office of the public defender
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
There is
appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $125,004
or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for one
full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) deputy public defender III position within the
office of the public defender (BUF151); provided that the deputy public
defender III shall be assigned as needed to provide counsel on constitutional
and related legal matters.

����
The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the office of the public defender for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 2.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Office of
the Public Defender; Position; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0
FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position.

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