Bill > SB361

This bill permanently establishes the Community Outreach Court as a division of the District Court of the First Circuit in Hawaii, aimed at addressing nonviolent offenses that disproportionately impact homeless individuals. The court will focus on making court attendance more accessible by holding hearings at community sites, prioritizing alternative sentencing such as community service, and connecting offenders with social services like mental health treatment, substance abuse programs, and housing assistance. Defendants must be willing to participate and be represented by a public defender, and cases will involve only nonviolent, non-felony offenses where the prosecuting attorney and public defender have negotiated plea agreements. The bill provides funding for various operational needs, including personnel such as court clerks, social workers, deputy sheriffs, and support staff for the public defender's office and prosecuting attorney's office. The court's goals include early identification of eligible offenders, encouraging cooperation between legal parties, facilitating a coordinated response to offender compliance, and building partnerships with public agencies and community organizations. Based on a successful pilot project that has already addressed over ten thousand cases and recalled nearly a thousand bench warrants, the legislation aims to provide a compassionate and rehabilitative approach to handling minor offenses among vulnerable populations.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=361&year=2025