House approves SB 1296 to increase penalties, require intervention for protective-order violations

The House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 1296, SD 2, HD 2, on third reading, expanding penalties for violations of temporary restraining orders and orders for protection and requiring offenders to complete intervention programs, legislators said.

Supporters told the chamber the bill is intended to strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence and increase accountability for those who violate protective orders. “This bill is more than just policy,” Representative Lamasau said on the floor. “It is protecting lives by increasing penalties for violations for temporary restraining orders and orders for protection. We are making it clear that domestic violence will not be tolerated in our communities.”

Representative Keila spoke in support and asked the House to adopt the words of the prior speaker, noting the bill was advanced with the work of committee chairs and advocates. “As a previous speaker mentioned, Teresa’s life was tragically cut short,” Keila said, referencing testimony framed by supporters during committee work. “Her family’s advocacy is a step in the right direction.”

Procedural history: Representative Todd moved to adopt standing committee report numbers 1729 through 1735 and to pass the accompanying senate bills as amended; Representative Morikawa seconded the motion and the House proceeded by voice vote. The clerk later reported that, while the measures passed, the clerk recorded some "no" votes on HSCR 1733 (SB 1296, SD 2, HD 2) among majority members; the specific names or tally for those dissenting votes were not specified in the on-the-record announcement.

The measure was considered as part of a group of standing committee reports and advanced on third reading. Supporters on the floor thanked Human Services and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs committee chairs and advocates who worked on the bill. The transcript records expressions of memorializing a victim identified as "Teresa" in remarks supporting the measure; no legislative changes tied to that name were recorded beyond the floor references.

Discussion vs. formal action: Remarks from Representatives Lamasau and Keila comprised the substantive floor discussion recorded in the transcript. The formal action recorded in the transcript was the adoption of the standing committee reports and passage on third reading; no amendment text or detailed statutory language was read on the floor in the provided excerpt.

Votes and next steps: The transcript shows the measure passed third reading; the record notes some recorded "no" votes for HSCR 1733/SB 1296 but does not list a numeric tally or full roll-call in the provided excerpt. The clerk announced that the senate bills passed third reading and the House moved on to other calendar business.