Bill > HB851

This bill amends Hawaii's self-defense laws to clarify and modify the circumstances under which a person can use deadly force without a duty to retreat. Specifically, the bill allows individuals to use deadly force to protect themselves against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping, rape, or forcible sodomy when they are in their dwelling or on their property, without being required to retreat, unless they were the initial aggressor. The legislation removes previous language that permitted the use of deadly force at a person's workplace and updates the legal terminology to be gender-neutral, replacing terms like "himself" with "oneself." The bill's rationale stems from rising violent crime rates in Oahu, as reported by the Honolulu Police Department's 2021 annual report, and aims to strengthen residents' rights to self-defense within their homes while removing workplace self-defense protections. The changes modify Section 703-304 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and will take effect upon approval, without impacting any existing legal proceedings, penalties, or rights that were established before the bill's implementation.

Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=851&year=2026