# Hawaii SB 428: RELATING TO WITNESS FEES.

Hawaii SB 428, RELATING TO WITNESS FEES., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Karl Rhoads (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-03 (Act 153, 06/03/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1253).) (as of 2026-10-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB428-2025
- As of: 2026-10-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 428
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO WITNESS FEES.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Last action: 2025-06-03, Act 153, 06/03/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1253).
- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Witness Fees, Mileage, Increase, JHA, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 10 (219 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Increases the fees paid to witnesses in civil and criminal trials. Changes the fees paid to witnesses in civil trials for travel expenses from 20 cents a mile to the mileage allowance prescribed by the Administrator of General Services. Authorizes reimbursement to witnesses in civil trials for use of common carriers. (CD1)

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Higher pay and travel refunds for witnesses: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, civil trial witnesses receive $30 per day, up from $4; witnesses from another island receive $36, up from $6. Civil witnesses can claim mileage at the federal rate instead of 20 cents per mile. Those traveling from another island by plane or ship can claim actual round-trip…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-30 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-23 | Senate | The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.... | pass | 2 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-23 | House | The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments.... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-08 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-28 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-18 | House | Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting a... | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-11 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 10 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-26 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (49)

- 2025-06-03: Act 153, 06/03/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1253). (Senate)
- 2025-06-03: Act 153, on 06/03/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1253). (House)
- 2025-05-02: Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 821). (Senate)
- 2025-05-02: Enrolled to Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-05-01: Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 888). (House)
- 2025-04-30: Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-04-30: Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick excused (2). (House)
- 2025-04-25: Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 122). (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25. (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 122) as amended in (CD 1). (House)
- 2025-04-25: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 04-30-25. (House)
- 2025-04-23: The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa. (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Kitagawa, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-04-22: Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-22-25 2:00PM; Conference Room 325. (Senate)
- 2025-04-22: Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-23-25 2:15PM in conference room 325. (House)
- 2025-04-21: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 754). (Senate)
- 2025-04-17: House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas, Kitagawa Co-Chairs; Shimizu. (House)
- 2025-04-17: Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-21-25 2:00PM; Conference Room 325. (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Senate Conferees Appointed: Rhoads Chair; Kanuha Co-Chair; Awa. (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 789). (House)
- 2025-04-10: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 646). (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Senate disagrees with House amendments. (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 779). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1989) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-08-25. (House)
- 2025-03-28: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-27: The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-28-25. (House)
- 2025-03-27: Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 03-28-25 1:59PM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-24: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 03-27-25 3:30PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-18: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1294), recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-03-18: Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-03-11: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 03-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 156). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 857) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: One Day Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:04AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 26) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: The committee(s) on JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 01-30-25 9:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to JDC, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Introduced. (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Passed First Reading. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_CD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/GM1253_.PDF)
- SB428_CD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_CD1_.HTM)
- SB428_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_HD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_CD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/GM1253_.PDF)
- [SB428_CD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_CD1_.HTM)
- [SB428_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB428_HD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
- [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-SB428-2025 (as of 2026-10-27).