# Hawaii SB 955: RELATING TO FITNESS TO PROCEED.

Hawaii SB 955, RELATING TO FITNESS TO PROCEED., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by SAN BUENAVENTURA; status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB955-2026
- 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 955
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO FITNESS TO PROCEED.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: DOH, Judiciary, Penal Code, Fitness-to-Proceed Examinations, Qualified Examiners, Escape From Custody, HLT, JHA, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (100 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Clarifies who may serve as a qualified examiner in a fitness-to-proceed examination. Clarifies the term of commitment for a defendant being held at a hospital or mental health facility for a fitness-to-proceed examination. Reduces the number of qualified examiners required for a fitness-to-proceed examination in a felony case from 3 to 1. Establishes a reduced penalty, except in certain circumstances, for a person who commits the offense of escape in the second degree while in the custody of the Director of Health. Sunsets the amendments related to fitness-to-proceed examinations on 12/31/26. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-14 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-12 | House | The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 24 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |

## Actions (21)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-14: Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1231) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick, Souza voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Holt, Iwamoto, Ward excused (4). (House)
- 2025-03-12: The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Chun, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Wednesday, 03-12-25 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to HLT, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fevella. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 228) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 839) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from HHS/JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 657) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Keohokalole. (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: The committee(s) on HHS/JDC has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-25 9:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to HHS/JDC, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_.PDF)
- SB955_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_HD1_.HTM)
- SB955_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_SD1_.HTM)
- SB955_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_SD2_.HTM)

## 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/SB955_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_.PDF)
- [SB955_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB955_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB955_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB955_SD2_.HTM)

## 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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB955-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).