# Hawaii SB 3294: RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT.

Hawaii SB 3294, RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-20 (House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas, Belatti, Kusch Co-Chairs; Iwamoto, Poepoe, Garcia.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB3294-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 3294
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO WRONGFUL IMPRISONMENT.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-30
- Last action: 2026-04-20, House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas, Belatti, Kusch Co-Chairs; Iwamoto, Poepoe, Garcia.
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: DAGS, DCR, DHS, Wrongful Conviction and Imprisonment, Compensation, Annual Report, JHA, PBS, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (178 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Establishes the procedure that a circuit court shall follow upon the reversal or vacation of a person's judgment of conviction on grounds consistent with innocence, and where the charges were dismissed. Requires the State to pay, through a warrant for payment issued by the Comptroller, 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 Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to immediately notify the Department of Human Services so the Department of Human Services may 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 persons 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: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Carol Fukunaga (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-14 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 51 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-07 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 16 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-25 | House | The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-20 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS... | pass | 48 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-18 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 7 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-19 | Senate | The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_HD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_.PDF)
- SB3294_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_HD1_.HTM)
- SB3294_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_HD2_.HTM)
- SB3294_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_SD1_.HTM)
- SB3294_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_HD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_.PDF)
- [SB3294_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB3294_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_HD2_.HTM)
- [SB3294_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB3294_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3294_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [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 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
- [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-SB3294-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).