# Hawaii HB 2493: RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT.

Hawaii HB 2493, RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by David A. Tarnas (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-02-20 (Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 602-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2493-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 2493
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-28
- Last action: 2026-02-20, Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 602-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
- Sponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: DCR, DAGS, Wrongful Conviction and Imprisonment, Compensation, Annual Report, JHA, PBS, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (70 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Establishes the procedure that a circuit court shall follow upon the reversal or vacation of an individual's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Requires the State to pay advance compensation to any petitioner who was convicted in a court of the State, imprisoned for at least one year, and whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or was pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence. Requires the Comptroller to issue a warrant for payment of advance compensation to a petitioner. Requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to contract with a community-based agency to assign a case manager to a petitioner upon the petitioner's release. Requires the State to provide medical coverage to a person for a certain duration upon the reversal or vacation of the person's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence and where the charges were dismissed. Provides that the Judiciary and Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall retain jurisdiction over the person for the purposes of effectuating this process. Authorizes the State to seek reimbursement from the applicable county for any losses incurred by the State pursuant to this process. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to submit an annual report to the Legislature. Clarifies eligibility to seek compensation for individuals whose judgment of conviction was reversed or vacated, or who were pardoned, on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Shifts the burden of proof to the State to prove by a preponderance of evidence that the reversal or vacation of the judgment of conviction for a petitioner, or the pardoning of the petitioner, was inconsistent with innocence. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-18 | House | The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS... | pass | 51 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (10)

- 2026-02-20: Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 602-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN. (House)
- 2026-02-20: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Pierick voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). (House)
- 2026-02-18: The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-13: Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-18-26 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-12: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 235-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS. (House)
- 2026-02-12: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS with Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Pierick voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-02-10: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-06: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-10-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-02: Referred to JHA, PBS, FIN, referral sheet 6 (House)
- 2026-01-28: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_HD2_.pdf)
- HB2493_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_HD1_.HTM)
- HB2493_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_HD2_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_HD2_.pdf)
- [HB2493_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB2493_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_HD2_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2493_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2493-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).