THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2271
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to hospital licensing.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that The Joint Commission is the most widely used accreditation organization for hospitals in the United States. The legislature further finds that other accreditation organizations have been recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and also provide accreditation to hospitals. These organizations include the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality, and DNV GL Healthcare. Currently, The Joint Commission is the only accreditation organization authorized in the State to provide accreditation that demonstrates a hospital's compliance with all licensing inspections required by the State.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the department of health to adopt rules to allow hospitals to demonstrate compliance with all licensing inspections required by the State through accreditation or certification by any accreditation or certification organization recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

SECTION 2. Section 321-14.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (c) to (e) to read as follows:

"(c) The rules [may] shall provide that accreditation or certification by [The Joint Commission] an accreditation or certification organization recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demonstrates a hospital's compliance with all licensing inspections required by the State. The rules may exempt a hospital from a licensing inspection on a continuing basis throughout the term of the accreditation or certification under the following conditions:

(1) The hospital provides the department with a certified copy of the hospital's official accreditation or certification report [from The Joint Commission];

(2) The hospital continuously holds full accreditation [by The Joint Commission;] or certification and provides the department with a certified copy of the hospital's official accreditation or certification report; and

(3) The hospital holds a current and valid state license.

(d) The rules shall provide that the department may conduct inspections and investigations of exempt hospitals [to investigate] regarding complaints, [follow up on] adverse accreditation or certification findings, or [conduct] periodic validation surveys.

(e) Information contained in reports of survey and official accreditation or certification letters made by [The Joint Commission] an accreditation organization or a certification organization recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that are used in determining compliance with licensing requirements shall be public information."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Hospital Licensing; Department of Health; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Accreditation Organizations; Certification Organizations; Licensing Inspections

Description:

Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules to allow hospitals to demonstrate compliance with all licensing inspections required by the State through accreditation or certification by any accreditation or certification organization recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.