Bill > HB2087

This bill makes changes to the laws concerning abuse of family or household members, primarily by ensuring that the petty misdemeanor offense for such abuse remains in effect and by removing the option for a deferred acceptance of a guilty plea for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor abuse offenses. Specifically, it amends Section 709-906 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) to remove language that would have allowed the repeal of certain provisions related to abuse of family or household members, and it also amends Section 853-4 of the HRS to remove an exception that allowed deferred acceptance of guilty pleas for these offenses. A "deferred acceptance of a guilty plea" is a legal process where a defendant pleads guilty, but the court postpones accepting the plea, and if the defendant meets certain conditions, the charges may be dismissed, preventing a formal conviction. By repealing this option, the bill ensures that convictions for these offenses will stand. Additionally, the bill amends Act 19 of the 2020 Session Laws of Hawaii to remove a sunset clause that would have repealed certain sections related to this law, effectively making the changes permanent. The context for these changes is to maintain the existing petty misdemeanor offense and prevent its expiration, while also removing a pathway that could have led to the dismissal of charges without a formal conviction for certain abuse offenses.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2087&year=2026