Office of the Governor – News Release – Gov. Green Signs Bills to Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking

Office of the Governor - News Release - Gov. Green Signs Bills to Protect Survivors of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking

HB 1960, Act 191, establishes a comprehensive framework to ensure workers in the transient accommodations sector receive education on human trafficking awareness, identification, prevention and response. The measure requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop a Human Trafficking Awareness Training Program and approve comparable training programs developed by external entities. It also requires transient accommodation employers and third-party contractors to provide regular human trafficking awareness training to employees and contract workers, maintain training records, post required signage, and implement human trafficking prevention policies with clear reporting procedures.

HB 1959: RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
HB 1959, Act 192, extends a critical pilot program established by Act 19, SLH 2020, and Act 238, SLH 2021, to strengthen Hawaiʻi's response to domestic violence. The pilot program established a petty misdemeanor offense for abuse of a family or household member, authorized courts to offer deferred acceptance of guilty pleas in certain qualifying cases, and required the Judiciary to submit comprehensive annual reports to the Legislature on domestic violence cases. By extending the pilot program for an additional five years, this measure allows the state to continue evaluating and strengthening its response to domestic violence while supporting informed policymaking through ongoing data collection and reporting.

Together, HB 1960 and HB 1959 establish thorough strategies to optimize our practices, spanning legal accountability, education, prevention and data-informed insight.

"We are deeply grateful to see all of the priorities in the Women's Legislative Caucus' 2026 package, including these two measures, become law," said House Vice Speaker Linda Ichiyama, co-convenor of the Women's Legislative Caucus. "We worked closely with survivors, advocates, service providers and community partners to strengthen protections for those impacted by domestic violence and to develop proactive strategies to reduce human trafficking. These laws represent an important step forward in helping our most vulnerable community members and holding offenders accountable."

"Together, these bills are about safety, dignity and justice," said Senator Lynne DeCoite, co-convener of the Women's Legislative Caucus and assistant majority floor leader. "They are about making sure women in Hawaiʻi are protected not just in principle, but in practice whether in their homes, in their workplaces, or in our visitor industry. They also reflect what we can accomplish when we work together through the Women's Legislative Caucus focused on real issues, real solutions and real impact for the people we serve."

"HB 1959 reflects Hawaiʻi's commitment to putting survivor safety first while building policy grounded in evidence and accountability," said Angelina Mercado, executive director of the Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "Today's signing is an important step and we must continue creating the economic security and support systems that give survivors real choices and the freedom to rebuild their lives."