THE SENATE

KA AHA KENEKOA

 

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2026

 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Donna Mercado Kim, Chair

Senator Michelle N. Kidani, Vice Chair

 

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura, Chair

Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey, Vice Chair

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

 

DATE:

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

TIME:

1:10 PM

PLACE:

Conference Room 225 & Videoconference

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

TIMESLOT:

HHS

 

 

PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL

BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY

 

The Legislature is accepting written, videoconference, and in-person testimony at public hearings.

A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.

 

 

A G E N D A

 

HB 1574, HD2

      (HSCR1080-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO THE HEALTHCARE EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

Formally codifies the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program.  Requires a participant in the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program who receives a new award on or after July 1, 2027, to remain and work in the State for a certain number of years based on the amount of financial assistance received.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

 

EDU/HHS, WAM

HB 1894, HD1

      (HSCR955-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO EDUCATION.

Requires the Department of Education to include the instruction of braille and provision of braille instructional materials under certain circumstances; provide braille literacy support services; cooperate with the Department of Human Services when requested to submit information necessary to maintain a register of the blind in the State; provide comprehensive information about braille literacy services, assistive technology devices, and assistive technology services, including educational programming options; and participate in the development of section 504 plans and individualized education programs.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

EDU/HHS, WAM

HB 2159, HD2

      (HSCR807-26)

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Establishes positions and appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii to support health care workforce development in the State.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD2)

 

EDU/HHS, WAM

 

 

 

 

Decision Making to follow, if time permits.

 

All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.

 

Please go to the Legislature's website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov, to submit written testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Create a free account on the website, or sign in to an existing account, then click on the "Participate" drop down menu and select the "Submit Testimony" option to get started. While submitting your written testimony, you will be prompted to indicate if you would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference.

 

Please note the following:

 

·         The number of oral testifiers and/or time allotted to each testifier may be limited by the Chair when necessary to adhere to the committee hearing schedule. We may not be able to accommodate everyone who requests to testify orally.

·         Testifiers for this hearing will be limited to 1 minute each.

 

If you wish to testify via videoconference during the hearing, please review the detailed step-by-step instructions for testimony procedures before you submit your written testimony. Here's a direct link to the instructions: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/testimonyinstructions.pdf

 

For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. You can also visit their website at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/par/.

 

For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email EDUcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

 

For amended notices: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored.  If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 808-587-7200.

 

 

_____________________________________

Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura

Chair

 

_____________________________________

Senator Donna Mercado Kim

Chair