STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2294

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2271

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2271 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure 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.

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

Your Committee finds that the Joint Commission is, and has been for a long time, the only organization authorized in the State to provide accreditation of a hospital's compliance with all required state licensing inspections. This measure will simplify administrative processes for the State without adversely impacting patient safety or quality by expanding opportunities for accreditation by state hospitals to include any accreditation or certification organization recognized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2271 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair