Hawaii legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii HB1628: Relating to Compassionate Release.
Status: In committee, May 1, 2026
Establishes a protocol for compassionate release for certain ill or seriously debilitated incarcerated persons.
What the bill says
A bill for an act relating to compassionate release.
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPASSIONATE RELEASE. SECTION 1. The legislature finds that correctional facilities in Hawaii and across the United States are housing a growing number of incarcerated persons who require a high level of complex and costly medical care. This is due in part to an aging prison population, and in part to the generally poor health of incarcerated persons. The National Institute of Corrections defines aging or elderly incarcerated persons as being aged fifty-five years or older, and many correctional institutions estimate that an incarcerated person's physiological age is ten to fifteen years older than their chronological age due to prior lack of medical care, drug use, and the stress of incarceration. As of mid September 2025, the department of corrections and rehabilitation housed nine hundred ninety-six incarcerated persons fifty years of age or older, including over eighty incarcerated persons who were seventy or more years old. Concern over how society should deal with the aging and seriously ill prison population has led 2026-1971 HB1628 SDl SMA.docx ■liniMUillllMMIIIWIIU Page H.B. NO. policymakers in all states and the federal government to provide for the early release of certain older and seriously ill individuals. The legislature further finds that the early release of elderly and seriously ill incarcerated persons will reduce State spending on corrections. The average …
Sponsors
- David Tarnas (D, 8) · primary sponsor
- Terez Amato (D, 11)
- Della Belatti (D, 26)
- Luke Evslin (D, 16)
- Tina Grandinetti (D, 20)
- Ikaika Hussey (D, 29)
- Greggor Ilagan (D, 4)
- Kim Iwamoto (D, 25)
- Lisa Marten (D, 51)
- Daynette Morikawa (D, HD-017)
- Ikaika Olds (D, 23)
- Amy Perruso (D, 46)
Latest actions
- : Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:51 PM; Conference Room 016.
- : Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:40 PM; Conference Room 016.
- : Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:10 PM; Conference Room 016.
- : Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 4:30 PM; Conference Room 016.
- : Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 3:30 PM; Conference Room 016.
- : Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 1:45PM; Conference Room 016.
- : Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 3:00PM; CR 016.
- : Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-29-26 3:00PM in conference room 016.
- : Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 760).
- : Senate Conferees Appointed: Fukunaga Chair; Rhoads, DeCoite Co-Chairs; Inouye.
Votes
- Report adopted; Passed Third Reading (April 14, 2026): 25 yea, 0 nay, passed
- WAM: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED (April 8, 2026): 13 yea, 0 nay, passed
- JDC: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED (April 8, 2026): 5 yea, 0 nay, passed
- PSM: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 25, 2026): 3 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Kila, Kitagawa, Olds, Sayama voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Matayoshi, Pierick voting no (2) and none excused (0) (March 10, 2026): 49 yea, 2 nay, passed
- JHA: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (February 25, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Report, Housing, Appropriations, Working Group, Compassionate Release
Common questions
- What is HB1628?
- HB1628 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to Compassionate Release.
- What does HB1628 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act relating to compassionate release.
- What is the status of HB1628?
- In committee as of May 1, 2026. Latest action: Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:51 PM; Conference Room 016. (May 1, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB1628?
- David Tarnas (D, 8), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB1628?
- On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1628&year=2026
Source: official Hawaii record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.