HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	103
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO SENTENCING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that through a court decision, Massachusetts became the first state to ban life without parole sentences for individuals eighteen years old through twenty years old, considering those in this age group to be "emerging adults". The court extended the bright line age cut-off from eighteen years of age to twenty years of age, in part, due to neuroscience research that supports that brain maturation continues through an individual's mid-twenties.

The purpose of this Act is to prohibit life without parole sentences for emerging adult defendants between eighteen and twenty-one years of age.

SECTION 2. Chapter 706, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§706-   Emerging adult defendants. (1) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no emerging adult defendant shall be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

(2) For the purposes of this section, "emerging adult defendant" means a person convicted of a crime who, at the time of the offense, is over eighteen years of age and less than twenty-one years of age."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Emerging Adult Defendant; Sentencing; Life Without Parole; Minors; Penal Code

Description:

Prohibits emerging adult defendants from being sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. (SD1)

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