Committee advances bill to standardize U and T visa certification statewide

The House Committee on Economic Development and Technology recommended passage with amendments of HB1838 on Friday after more than a dozen witnesses urged the measure to fix inconsistent certification practices for U and T visas.

Tina Sablan of the legal clinic told the committee that "U/T visas are federal protections designed to help non citizen survivors of serious crime or trafficking safely report crimes and assist law enforcement without fear of immigration consequences." Multiple advocates said some agencies have no written procedures, which can leave eligible survivors waiting months or receiving no response.

Advocates including Jack Lewin of the State Health Planning and Development Agency and Angelina Mercado of the Hawaii State Coalition Against Domestic Violence argued that delays at the state level can push survivors onto federal waiting lists where caps make relief scarce. Mercado noted the federal caps: "U visas are subject to a 10,000, petition cap, and then T visas are 5,000," and said state delays can make it harder for survivors to secure a spot.

The chair’s recommended amendments clarified federal definitions, required written policies and designated certifying officials, set response timelines (including a 120‑day window in the text presented to the committee), and added a right to request reevaluation with 45 days to submit new evidence. The committee voted to recommend the measure with those amendments. The committee record shows the recommendation was adopted in decision making and the motion to pass with amendments was recorded as approved.