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Bill

HB 1628

RELATING TO COMPASSIONATE RELEASE.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Terez Amato and 15 co-sponsors

HB 1628 creates compassionate release pathways for Hawaii prisoners with extraordinary circumstances, advancing through committee with amendments and strong bipartisan support.

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 3:30 PM; Conference Room 016.
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Bill Summary · HB 1628

Legislative bill overview

HB 1628 establishes or modifies Hawaii's compassionate release procedures, allowing incarcerated individuals to petition for early release based on extraordinary and compelling circumstances. The bill has advanced through committee with strong bipartisan support and has been amended during the legislative process.

Why is this important

Compassionate release mechanisms balance public safety with humanitarian concerns by allowing courts to release terminally ill, elderly, or seriously disabled prisoners who pose minimal risk. This addresses both fiscal impacts of end-of-life incarceration and questions about proportionality in criminal justice.

Potential points of contention

  • Victim consideration: Whether victims' families have adequate input in compassionate release decisions and if their safety concerns are sufficiently weighted
  • Definitional specificity: What constitutes "extraordinary and compelling circumstances" and whether standards are clear enough to prevent inconsistent application across cases
  • Public safety assessment: How risk evaluation will be conducted and whether current rehabilitation/recidivism data adequately predicts release outcomes for aging or ill populations

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

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