HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A bill named after fallen Maui police officer Suzanne O will not become law, despite backing from Hawaii law enforcement and the O family.

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The Suzanne O bill, SB 2575, made it through months of hearings and meetings with all four Hawaii police chiefs testifying in support. But the legislation died just days before the session ended.

State Rep. David Tarnas said he could not support mandatory minimum sentences, even for convicted felons who use a firearm in another crime — a key part of the bill.

“I do not think mandatory minimums are a good idea,” Tarnas said at the conference committee hearing on May 1. “The proposed draft would remove the discretion from the judge and mandate an incarceration term of five years with no possibility of probation or parole. So I have real concerns with that.”

Officer O’s alleged killer

Officer O was shot and killed on Aug. 15, 2025 while on patrol, responding to a terroristic threatening call.

Clembert Kaneholani is charged with murder, attempted murder and firearms crimes. Kaneholani, who was 38 years old at the time of the alleged shooting, was reportedly high on meth.

Court records show, between 2005 and 2015, Kaneholani was convicted of several crimes, including disorderly conduct, reckless driving, and two thefts, one of those was a felony.

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Felons cannot own or possess a firearm. The Suzanne O bill would have called for a mandatory minimum sentence if he is convicted. The bill also allows prosecutors to upgrade charges if an alleged shooter is on drugs or has an active restraining order against them.

Kaneholani was served with a TRO and removed from the home just two days prior after his girlfriend and the mother of his children filed a complaint.

Maui police chief: ‘Definitely disappointing’

Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said the bill’s demise was disappointing.

“We’re talking about individuals that are prohibited persons and to have that much effort go into this (bill) to end at that point, it’s definitely disappointing,” Pelletier said.

“When we lose a member of our own, we owe it not just to her, but to everyone to say, did we do everything we can to prevent this from happening? And so we’re going to take it personal,” he said.

Pelletier and other supporters of the bill say they will try again next session and will still push for the mandatory minimum sentence provision.

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