STAND. COM. REP. NO. 363-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2319

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2319 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE HEALTH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the functions and responsibilities of the State Health Planning and Development Agency to identify and coordinate activities and resources that affect health care access, cost, and quality across the State; and

(2) Increase the certificate of need exemption threshold for bed changes to thirty percent of a facility's existing licensed beds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Association of Health Plans and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

Your Committee finds that there is a need to update the statutory functions and responsibilities of the State Health Planning and Development Agency to address the significant technological, medical, financial, political, and cultural developments over the past thirty years. This measure modernizes and clarifies the existing functions of the State Health Planning and Development Agency by establishing a comprehensive plan for assuring health care access, affordability, and quality.

Your Committee notes that this measure does not add new regulatory powers or expand the regulatory authority to the State Health Planning and Development Agency, particularly as it applies to insurance regulation.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2319, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2319, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair