HOUSE JUDICIARY STAFF ATTORNEY JOINS NATIONAL PRETRIAL POLICY FELLOWS PROGRAM

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The Hawaiʻi House of Representatives’ Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs (JHA) Committee recognizes Committee Staff Attorney Sean Aronson for completion of the 2025 National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Pretrial Policy Fellows Program, a year-long national peer-learning initiative focused on improving state pretrial justice systems.

The NCSL Pretrial Policy Fellows Program supports legislators and legislative staff who are working on reforms related to pretrial release, detention, and court processes. Fellows receive in-depth training on the legal foundations of pretrial policy, including constitutional principles, state law, and evidence-based practices.

"This professional development program has provided our staff attorney, Sean, with legal training on constitutional principles and state laws that guide release and detention decision-making," said House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Chair David A. Tarnas. "With this training, Sean can provide well-informed advice to the JHA Committee on legislation relating to conditions of release, pretrial services programs, citations in lieu of arrest, victim notice and involvement, access to counsel, and more."

Over the last three legislative sessions, JHA Chair David A. Tarnas and the Committee have worked to further reduce Hawaiʻi’s pretrial jail population through a series of legislative initiatives. Aronson’s participation in the NCSL program builds on those efforts by strengthening the committee’s capacity to evaluate and advance meaningful reforms.

“During the interim, this program allowed me to meet with stakeholders from across the country to discuss bail reform, mental health diversion, and other pretrial policy solutions,” said JHA Committee Staff Attorney Sean Aronson. “One initiative we are also exploring is encouraging citations in place of arrest when circumstances allow. Our goal is to bring greater fairness and justice to Hawaiʻi’s criminal legal system, and this training helps move that work forward.”

The NCSL Pretrial Policy Fellows Program covers a wide range of topics, including conditions of release, responses to violations or failures to appear, court reminder systems, pretrial services programs, citations or summons in lieu of arrest, commercial bonding practices, victim notice and involvement, statutory guidance for courts, and access to counsel.

Participants in the 2025 cohort recently completed the program with a final in-person convening in Savannah, Georgia. Fellows represented Hawaiʻi, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, Texas, and Tennessee, and each received a certificate upon completion.

"Through this program, Sean has also built a professional network with his peers in other States and with leading research and policy experts in the field. I am grateful to NCSL and their financial supporter, Arnold Ventures for providing a Hawaiʻi staff attorney with this professional development opportunity," Chair Tarnas added.

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Learn more about NCSL Pretrial Policy Fellows Program here.

Cathy S . Lee

Director of Communications

Hawaiʻi House of Representatives

hmcommunications@capitol.hawaii.gov