STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1432-26
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2026
RE: S.B. No. 709
S.D. 2
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2026
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 709, S.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to update and clarify laws governing mental crisis intervention.
Your Committees find that Act 219, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025 (Act 219), provided a comprehensive reexamination of Hawaii's mental health laws aimed at clarifying existing procedures and strengthening the statutory framework to better serve individuals suffering from mental illness or substance abuse. This measure builds upon Act 219 by reinforcing implementation of the State's crisis response system and providing modest but impactful clarification to the laws relating to mental health intervention.
Your Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Clarifying that the Department of Health will approve the content of any training established for crisis intervention officers; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 709, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 709, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services & Homelessness and Health,
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____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair |
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____________________________ LISA MARTEN, Chair |
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