Several new laws signed by Gov. Josh Green will expand support for Hawaiʻi’s judiciary system. Act 228 establishes a Women’s Court Pilot Program in Kona and makes the Oʻahu Women’s Court Program permanent. The programs offer probation as an alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenses. Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald said, “This year, the Legislature passed measures that give significant and much needed support for the Judiciary’s ongoing efforts to ensure our communities have a secure, modern, and responsive court system that accommodates the growth in population and caseloads we have seen over the past 40 years,” according to the Hawaii State Judiciary.
Gov. Josh Green has signed Act 227, which includes funding for the Judiciary’s 2025 budget requests. The measure provides resources for planning and designing a new courthouse in South Kohala to address increased caseloads and a growing population. Third Circuit Chief Court Administrator Robert D. Kim said, “The enhanced features of this new courthouse would help us better serve the population with improved access to the district court’s civil, criminal, and family court justice systems,” as reported by the Hawaii State Judiciary.
The governor signed several new laws, including Act 229, which makes the Community Outreach Court permanent on Oʻahu. Acts 230 to 233 focus on judicial changes such as increasing pay for court-appointed attorneys and adding judges and probation officers. More than $500,000 is set aside for Fiscal Years 2025 to 2027 to start the Kona Women’s Court pilot project, which will offer services linked to addressing trauma and criminal behavior. The bill signing can be viewed on Governor Josh Green’s Facebook page under the “Live” section, as stated by the Hawaii State Judiciary.
