HB 2600: Office of the Public Defender; Position; Appropriation
- Session Year: 2025-2026
- House: House
- Latest Version Date: 2026-02-18
Current Status:
Failed
(2026-02-19: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and none excused (0).)
Introduced
In Committee
First Chamber
In Committee
Second Chamber
Final Decking
Enacted
What does this bill do?
Provides $125,004 to the Office of the Public Defender to fund one full-time Deputy Public Defender III position. The new deputy will be assigned as needed to represent clients in constitutional and related legal matters (cases involving constitutional rights).
The summary is provided by generative AI which can make mistakes. For original language, please view the details in the table below.
Appropriates funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Appropriates funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2600 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of the public defender for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.
Report Title:
Office of the Public Defender; Position; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2600 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to the office of the public defender.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of the public defender for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |
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Report Title:
Office of the Public Defender; Position; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds to the Office of the Public Defender for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Deputy Public Defender III position.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
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Date
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Status
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| Feb 19, 2026 | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and none excused (0). |
| Feb 19, 2026 | Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 583-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. |
| Feb 13, 2026 | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Takayama. |
| Feb 11, 2026 | Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Friday, 02-13-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. |
| Feb 2, 2026 | Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 6 |
| Jan 28, 2026 | Introduced and Pass First Reading. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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| Feb 13, 2026 | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS | House Standing Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
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Organization
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Position
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Date
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| ACLU of Hawaiʻi | ** Support | |
| Community Alliance on Prisons | ** Support | |
| El Pueblo en Acción Maui | ** Support | |
| Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights | ** Support | |
| Maui Roots Reborn | ** Support | |
| Mercado de la Raza | ** Support | |
| Office of the Public Defender | ** Support | |
| Pacific Gateway Center | ** Support | |
| The Legal Clinic | ** Support | |
| William S. Richardson School of Law Refugee & Immigration Clinic | ** Support |
STAND. COM. REP. NO. 583-26
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2026
RE: H.B. No. 2600
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2026
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2600 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER,"
begs leave to report as follows:
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender; The Legal Clinic; Community Alliance on Prisons; Mercado de la Raza; Maui Roots Reborn; El Pueblo en Accion Maui; Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Pacific Gateway Center; William S. Richardson School of Law Refugee & Immigration Clinic; ACLU of Hawaiʻi; and numerous individuals.
Your Committee finds that although the Office of the Public Defender is a statewide office, the Office has no attorneys who are assigned to provide assistance to attorneys statewide in immigration matters. The Office of the Public Defender instead relies on outside agencies or from the experience or research into immigration issues provided by other attorneys to navigate the complex area of immigration law. Your Committee further finds that the funding provided by this measure allows the Office of the Public Defender to dedicate one position to focus on immigration law as it relates to the criminal cases handled by the Office's attorneys.
Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2600, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2600, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,
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____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair |
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Date
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Testimony PDF
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| Feb 17, 2026 | HB2600_TESTIMONY_JHA_02-13-26_.PDF |
Discussed in Hearing
10MIN
House Standing Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
14SEC
House Standing Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
20SEC
House Standing Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):