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GM 1207

Informing the Legislature that on June 8, 2026, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB2519 HD1 CD1 (ACT 107).

2026 Regular Session

Hawaii requires all law enforcement officers to complete board-approved training (de-escalation, mental health response, etc.) and obtain certification starting July 1, 2028.

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Bill Summary · GM 1207

Summary of Bill: SB2519 (HD1, CD1) – Act 107 (Hawaii, 2026)

Purpose and intent

  • Enacted as law to update and strengthen the certification and employment requirements for law enforcement officers in Hawaii.
  • The core goal is to ensure all appointed or employed law enforcement personnel have completed standardized training, including use-of-force minimization, de-escalation, mental health response, and related competencies, with a phased rollout timeline.

Key provisions and changes

  • Section 139-6 (amended):

    • Prohibits appointment or employment of a law enforcement officer after June 30, 2028 unless the person: 1) Satisfactorily completes a basic law enforcement training program approved by the board. 2) Receives training aimed at minimizing excessive force, including legal standards, de-escalation techniques, crisis intervention, mental health response, implicit bias, and first aid. 3) Meets other qualifications set by the board (e.g., minimum age, education, physical/mental standards, citizenship, good conduct, moral character, experience).
    • Starting July 1, 2028, the board shall issue certification to applicants or officers who meet these requirements or who have completed equivalent training in another jurisdiction deemed by the board to be substantially similar.

  • Section 139-7 (amended):

    • No person may be appointed or employed by any Hawaii county police department, the Department of Public Safety (Department of Law Enforcement), the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Department of Taxation, or the Department of the Attorney General after June 30, 2028 unless they hold a valid certification issued by the board under Section 139-6(b).

  • Section 3 (repeal/reenactment mechanics):

    • Text indicates standard formatting for amendments: bracketed material is repealed, new material is underscored. (In practice, this shows the changes described above are being codified.)

  • Section 4 (effective date):

    • The Act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Who is affected

  • Prospective and current law enforcement officers in Hawaii, including those seeking employment with:
    • County police departments
    • Department of Public Safety (L&E)
    • Department of Land and Natural Resources
    • Department of Taxation
    • Department of the Attorney General
  • Hiring agencies across Hawaii must ensure applicants either obtain board-certified credentials or demonstrate equivalency to the board’s standards starting in 2028.

Procedural/timeline aspects

  • Training and certification timeline:
    • June 30, 2028: Deadline by which new appointments must meet the certification and training requirements to be employed as law enforcement officers.
    • July 1, 2028: Certification must be issued by the board to individuals meeting the requirements or equivalent out-of-state training deemed acceptable.
  • Compliance posture:
    • Before July 1, 2028, there may be transitional provisions (not detailed in the text) but the bill sets clear post-2028 certification requirements for appointment.

Context and potential impact

  • Strengthens professional standards for Hawaii’s law enforcement workforce.
  • Emphasizes de-escalation, mental health response, bias awareness, and first aid as core components of training.
  • Creates a statewide certification framework to ensure uniform qualification levels across agencies.
  • Potential implications for recruitment, scheduling of training programs, and inter-jurisdictional equivalency assessments.

Summary

SB2519 (HD1, CD1), enacted as Act 107 after Governor approval on June 8, 2026, establishes a January 2028/July 2028 framework for certifying law enforcement officers in Hawaii. It requires completion of board-approved training, including de-escalation and mental health components, with a certification process commencing July 1, 2028, for those meeting the new standards or having deemed equivalent training. The act affects all major law enforcement agencies in the state and aims to standardize qualifications and improve public-safety outcomes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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