STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2950

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 709

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 709, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve and clarify the State's response to individuals experiencing mental health crises.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Health to track and periodically report data relating to mental health crises and responses;

(2) Requires the Department of Health to dispatch staff to assist a person with a severe mental illness following a report that the person requires assistance;

(3) Establishes that a court's denial of a petition for involuntary commitment serves as notification to the Department of Health that the individual should be evaluated for assisted community treatment and further provides for the completion of an evaluation and the filing of a petition for an assisted community treatment order; and

(4) Appropriates funds for information technology upgrades and personnel to support these efforts.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and one individual.

Your Committee finds that Act 219, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, strengthened the statutory framework for serving individuals suffering from mental illnesses or substance abuse. Your Committee believes that this measure refines the State's methods to address serious mental health crises by promoting better coordination between state entities that assist these persons.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting provisions requiring the Department of Health to track and report data;

(2) Requiring the Director of Law Enforcement to adopt rules for statewide training and certification standards and procedures for crisis intervention officers;

(3) Clarifying the scope of treatment and services that may be ordered under assisted community treatment, including medication, blood tests, urinalysis, and residential services;

(4) Requiring the Department of the Attorney General to assist with the preparation, filing, and presentation of requests for court or administrative authorization to provide treatment over a patient's objection, while allowing private requestors to decline assistance;

(5) Clarifying the term "crisis intervention officer"; and

(6) Deleting the appropriations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 709, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 709, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair