Governor Josh Green, M.D. signed numerous bills to make life safer for Hawai‘i residents. The Bills are related to the ongoing battle against domestic violence and sexual assault as well as expanded support for survivors in addition to residents’ wellness and and to improving childcare for Hawai‘i families.
Detailed information on the bills can be found below:
Domestic Violence – Sexual Assault-related bills:
SB933 SD1 HD1 CD1, Relating To Temporary Restraining Orders
Authorizes the family courts to allow petitioners to attend TRO hearings remotely upon request. Requires the courts to consider certain factors. Requires the courts to allow petitioners who allege domestic abuse to attend TRO hearings remotely. (CD1)
SB1267 SD1 HD1, Relating To Protective Orders
Expands the jurisdiction for where petitions for domestic abuse protective orders and temporary restraining orders may be filed. (HD1)
SB1527 SD2 HD1 CD1, Relating To Address Confidentiality
Changes the governmental entity responsible for the administration of the Address Confidentiality Program from the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to the Department of Law Enforcement. Allows the Department of Law Enforcement to contract with a third party for the mail forwarding and acceptance of service of legal process aspects of the program. Appropriates funds for full-time equivalent positions, operating costs, and equipment to support the Department of Law Enforcement in administering the Address Confidentiality Program. Effective 1/1/2024. (CD1)
HB554 HD2 SD2 CD2, Relating To Campus Safety
Requires that the University of Hawaiʻi ensure that any individual who participates in implementing the University’s disciplinary process has training or experience in handling sexual misconduct complaints and the University’s disciplinary process. Requires that the University provide mandatory annual trauma-informed, gender-inclusive, LGBTQ+-inclusive sexual misconduct primary prevention and awareness programming for students and employees of the University. Prohibits the University from taking certain disciplinary action against individuals reporting sexual misconduct unless certain exceptions apply. Establishes positions and appropriates funds. (CD2)
HB579 HD2 SD1 CD1, Relating To Human Trafficking*
Establishes the statewide human trafficking prevention program within the Department of the Attorney General to provide services and assistance to victims of human trafficking and victims of the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Requires reports to the legislature. (CD1)*
HB580 HD1 SD1, Relating To Victim-Counselor Privilege*
Expands the victim-counselor privilege under the Hawaiʻi Rules of Evidence to include confidential advocates employed by the University of Hawaiʻi. Increases the minimum number of hours of training a domestic violence victims’ counselor must complete to be considered a victim counselor. (SD1)*
HB581 HD2 SD2, Relating To Child Custody*
Requires certain individuals attempting to serve as child custody evaluators to complete a training course on the dynamics of domestic violence every three years. Requires individuals to submit a letter or certificate of completion to the family court. (SD2)*
SB406 SD1 HD1, Relating To Child Visitation
Allows the court to award reasonable visitation rights to a petitioning grandparent of a minor child when the child’s parent is unable to exercise parental visitation due to death or incarceration and denial of reasonable grandparent visitation rights would cause significant harm to the child. Requires the court to follow best interest of the child procedures, considerations, and standards when granting grandparent visitation rights. Specifies that any person who violates the terms and conditions of a court order granting reasonable grandparent visitation rights are subject to sanctions. (HD2)
Wellness and Resiliency and Child Welfare Bills:
SB295 SD2 HD2 CD1, Relating To Child Welfare Services
Establishes within the Office of Wellness and Resilience the Malama ʻOhana Working Group to seek, design, and recommend transformative changes to the State’s existing child welfare system. Allows the Office to contract with an administrative facilitator to provide necessary support for the working group. Requires the Malama ʻOhana Working group to report to the Legislature. (CD1).
SB712 SD2 HD1 CD1, Relating To Corrections
Establishes a trauma-informed certification program at the Windward Community College campus of the University of Hawaiʻi for adult corrections officers. Requires the curriculum to include a level I trauma-informed care course designed for adult corrections officers. (CD1)
SB894 SD2 HD2 CD1,, Relating To The Office Of Wellness And Resilience
Transfers the Office of Wellness and Resilience from the Office of the Governor to the Department of Human Services on 7/1/2025. Extends the Trauma-Informed Care Task Force dissolution date to 6/30/2025 and establishes the Task Force as an advisory board to the Office of Wellness and Resilience until its dissolution. Reconstitutes the membership of the Trauma-Informed Care Task Force into a permanent advisory board to the Office of Wellness and Resilience to be called the Wellness and Resilience Advisory Board. Effective 1/1/2024. (CD1)
HB349 HD2 SD1 CD1, Relating To Children
Expands the original jurisdiction of family court to include proceedings for declarations of emancipation of minors. Specifies the rights of an emancipated minor. Establishes procedures for the emancipation of minors. Effective 1/1/2024. (CD1)
HB350 HD2 SD1, Relating To Child Abuse Reporting
Establishes that the exemption from mandatory reporting by members of the clergy does not apply when the clergy member believes that there exists a substantial risk that child abuse or neglect that is especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel, manifesting exceptional depravity, may occur in the reasonably foreseeable future. (SD1)
HB777 HD2 SD2 CD1, Relating To Background Checks
Authorizes the department of human services to conduct background checks for current and prospective employees, volunteers, contractors, contractors’ employees and volunteers, subcontractors, and subcontractors’ employees and volunteers whose position places them or would place them in close proximity to certain minors, young adults, or vulnerable adults. Clarifies that any state law permitting a more extensive inquiry into an individual’s criminal history by the state and any of its branches, political subdivisions, agencies, or semi-autonomous public bodies corporate and politic will prevail over conflicting conviction record inquiries under the state’s employment practices law. (CD1)
HB948 HD2 SD2 CD1, Relating To Child And Adolescent Mental Health
Establishes a two-year child and adolescent crisis mobile outreach team pilot program on Oʻahu and one neighbor island site to expand existing crisis response services. Appropriates funds. Sunsets 12/31/2025. (CD1)
Photo credit: Office of Governor Josh Green