Bill > HB1758

This bill amends Hawaii Revised Statutes sections 707-710 and 707-711, which define assault in the first and second degrees, respectively, to remove the requirement that an offender must know or reasonably should know that their victim is sixty years of age or older when the assault involves a victim of that age. This change means that if someone assaults a person who is sixty or older, they can be charged with assault in the first or second degree regardless of whether they were aware of the victim's age, making the offender "strictly liable" for that specific circumstance, which is a legal term meaning they are held responsible even without intent or knowledge. The bill aims to provide greater protection for elder crime victims by simplifying the legal process for prosecuting assaults against them.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1758&year=2026