Hawaii Governor Josh Green has signed into law a measure to expand the state’s pilot program for automatic expungement of certain arrest records, following unanimous approval in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
The Hawaii State Capitol Building.
House Bill 132 enhances the Department of the Attorney General’s expungement pilot project—first established under Act 62 of 2024—by broadening the scope of eligible offenses. The new law allows the state to automatically expunge arrest records not only for those charged with promoting a detrimental drug in the third degree, but also for those arrested for possession of any Schedule V controlled substance in any amount, provided the case did not result in a conviction.
Supporters of the bill argue that this change removes unnecessary barriers to employment, housing and education for individuals who were never convicted of a crime. Previously, those seeking to expunge their arrest records were required to navigate a complex application process with no guaranteed access to legal assistance.
The bill received strong backing from a wide range of organizations, including the Office of the Public Defender, the ACLU of Hawai‘i, the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission, and the Community Alliance on Prisons.
In written testimony, the Public Defender’s Office stated that allowing the state to initiate the process is a logical and just step forward, as arrest records that did not lead to a conviction should not be allowed to follow people for life.
House Bill 132 took effect upon approval by the governor.
