STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1350-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2271

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2271, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOSPITAL LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit hospitals to demonstrate compliance with all licensing inspections required by the State through accreditation or certification by any accreditation or certification organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; State Health Planning and Development Agency; Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, the Department of Health will only accept accreditation from The Joint Commission to demonstrate that a hospital is compliant with state licensing inspections. Your Committee further finds that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services uses multiple accreditation or certification organizations to deem a hospital in compliance with federal Medicare Conditions of Participation. Your Committee believes that authorizing the Department of Health to accept accreditation from any accreditation or certification organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will strengthen alignment with federal oversight and reduce the administrative burden on hospitals while still ensuring patient safety.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 S.B. No. 2271, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2271, S.D. 1, 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