Bill Commons

HI SB 2479

died on adjournment

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.

Hawaii · 2026 Regular Session · upper

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Quick answers

Did HI SB 2479 pass?

No. HI SB 2479 died when the 2026 Regular Session adjourned without final action on it. Bills that die this way are sometimes reintroduced in a later session. Latest recorded action (2026-03-24): The committee(s) on HSH recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.

What is HI SB 2479 about?

Allows a defendant to introduce certain evidence to receive a reduced sentence for certain offenses if the defendant can show that they were subjected to acts of family violence, dating violence, or child abuse, and that the acts were a significant contributing factor for the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced. Allows a defendant to introduce certain relevant evidence when raising the justification defenses of self-defense or defense of others to show that the defendant was subjected to acts of family violence, dating violence, or child abuse by the alleged victim. Allows the circuit court imposing a criminal sentence to correct or reduce the sentence and to suspend or probate all or any part of the sentence imposed. Allows a person previously sentenced by a circuit court to petition the court to be re-sentenced to a reduced sentence if the defendant can show that they were subjected to acts of family violence, dating violence, or child abuse, and that the acts were a significant contributing factor for the offense for which the defendant was sentenced. (SD2)

Who sponsors HI SB 2479?

GABBARD is the primary sponsor of HI SB 2479, joined by 1 cosponsor.

Description

Allows a defendant to introduce certain evidence to receive a reduced sentence for certain offenses if the defendant can show that they were subjected to acts of family violence, dating violence, or child abuse, and that the acts were a significant contributing factor for the offense for which the defendant is being sentenced. Allows a defendant to introduce certain relevant evidence when raising the justification defenses of self-defense or defense of others to show that the defendant was subjected to acts of family violence, dating violence, or child abuse by the alleged victim. Allows the circuit court imposing a criminal sentence to correct or reduce the sentence and to suspend or probate all or any part of the sentence imposed. Allows a person previously sentenced by a circuit court to petition the court to be re-sentenced to a reduced sentence if the defendant can show that they were subjected to acts of family violence, dating violence, or child abuse, and that the acts were a significant contributing factor for the offense for which the defendant was sentenced. (SD2)

Introduced
2026-01-22
Latest action
2026-03-24 — The committee(s) on HSH recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • GABBARDprimary
  • San Buenaventuracosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-03-24

    The committee(s) on HSH recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.

    deferral

  2. 2026-03-20

    Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Tuesday, 03-24-26 10:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  3. 2026-03-12

    Pass First Reading

    reading-1

  4. 2026-03-12

    Referred to HSH, JHA, referral sheet 17

    referral-committee

  5. 2026-03-10

    Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

    passage

  6. 2026-03-10

    Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 248) in amended form (SD 2).

    introduction,receipt

  7. 2026-03-06

    Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3081) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).

  8. 2026-03-06

    48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.

  9. 2026-03-03

    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, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang.

    committee-passage-favorable

  10. 2026-02-24

    The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

  11. 2026-02-18

    Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2360) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

  12. 2026-02-18

    Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.

    passage,reading-2,referral-committee

  13. 2026-02-06

    The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Kanuha.

    committee-passage-favorable

  14. 2026-02-04

    The committee(s) on HHS deferred the measure until 02-06-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

    deferral

  15. 2026-01-30

    The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 1:01PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

  16. 2026-01-28

    Referred to HHS, JDC.

    referral-committee

  17. 2026-01-22

    Introduced.

    introduction

  18. 2026-01-22

    Passed First Reading.

    reading-1

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.

    2026-02-06 · pass · 4-0

    Member-level votes (5)
    • San Buenaventura: yes
    • McKelvey: yes
    • Keohokalole: yes
    • Fevella: yes
    • Kanuha: not voting

  • The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.

    2026-03-03 · pass · 3-1

    Member-level votes (5)
    • Rhoads: yes
    • Gabbard: yes
    • San Buenaventura: yes
    • Awa: no
    • Chang: not voting

  • Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).

    2026-03-10 · pass · 25-0

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2479&year=2026

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:20:09.051962Z

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