KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura, Chair |
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Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey, Vice Chair |
AMENDED NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Friday, February 13, 2026 |
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TIME: |
1:00 PM |
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PLACE: |
Conference Room 225 & Videoconference State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
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 M E N D E D A G E N D A
These bills were originally scheduled to be heard on Monday, February 9, 2026, but due to the severe weather event over the weekend, the hearing was cancelled. All testimony previously submitted will be available to the committee and posted on the Legislature's website prior to the hearing and therefore, does not need to be resubmitted. New testimony will be accepted.
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RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. Repeals certain prohibitions on the imposition of fees, conditions, or requirements on community retail pharmacies that are not imposed on mail order pharmacies.
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HHS, CPN |
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RELATING TO OPIOID ANTAGONISTS. Beginning 1/1/2027, requires health insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations that issue policies, contracts, plans, or agreements that provide prescription drug coverage to provide coverage for at least one generic opioid antagonist and device.
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HHS, CPN |
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RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE. Requires all health insurers in the State, including Medicaid managed care programs, to cover the cost of continuous glucose monitors and related supplies under certain conditions. Applies to insurance policies, contracts, plans, or agreements issued or renewed in the State after 12/31/2026.
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HHS, CPN |
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RELATING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. Extends for five years certain provisions from Act 19, SLH 2020, and Act 238, SLH 2021, relating to abuse of family or household members, including establishing a petty misdemeanor offense of abuse of family or household members, clarifying penalties for violations, and allowing a deferred acceptance of guilty plea for misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor abuse of family or household members offenses. Effective 6/29/2026.
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HHS, JDC
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RELATING TO HEALTH CARE. Prohibits persons from interfering with another person's access to or from a health care facility or disrupting the normal functioning of a health care facility. Makes violations a petty misdemeanor. Establishes a private right of action for individuals and health care facilities harmed as a result of interference with a health care facility. Authorizes the Attorney General to bring an action for injunctive or other equitable relief.
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HHS, JDC
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RELATING TO HEALTH. Allows a licensed dental hygienist to place interim therapeutic restorations in public health settings under the general supervision of licensed dentist.
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HHS, CPN |
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RELATING TO HEALTH CARE. Authorizes the Hawaii Medical Board to issue an active retired clinician license to retired physicians, osteopathic physicians, and surgeons with inactive Hawaii medical licenses to provide volunteer clinical work through community-based health care or public health organizations.
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HHS, CPN/WAM |
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[Measure deleted on 02-10-26]
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RELATING TO HEALTH CARE. Amends the Healthcare Preceptor Tax Credit to remove language limiting access only to those practicing in primary care, to add licensed dietitians, physician assistants, and social workers as eligible preceptors and students, and to include residency and followship programs. Adds the Director of Health and a representative of residency programs with eligible students to the Preceptor Credit Assurance Committee. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2026.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES. Requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Office of Wellness and Resilience, to design a 4-year Child Welfare System Diversion and Intervention Pilot Program to support families and children involved or at risk of involvement or reinvolvement with child welfare services. Specifies that the Department of Human Services shall implement and administer the pilot program. Allows the Department to contract with public and private entities to provide necessary services. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO FAMILY RESILIENCE PILOT PROGRAM. Establishes a one-year Family Resilience Pilot Program within the Office of Wellness and Resilience. Appropriates funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding. Sunsets the pilot program 6/30/2027.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO AMBULANCES. Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to purchase of one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in central Maui, fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical services personnel, and increase the predictability and stability of available air ambulance services for all islands in the State.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO AIR MEDICAL SERVICES. Establishes the Statewide Air Medical Services Program within the Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention Systems Branch to coordinate and strengthen air medical services. Provides for an air medical director, an air medical program manager, and an air medical coordinator. Provides for annual licensure and accreditation fees to be deposited into the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund for costs of the program.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS. Requires the Department of Human Services to submit a plan for the consolidation of the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions and Homeless Programs Office under a single centralized entity. Requires reports to the Legislature by the consolidated entity. Appropriates moneys. Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Kauhale Initiative and related capital improvement projects.
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HHS, WAM [Measure added on 02-10-26] |
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RELATING TO THE STATE BUDGET. Appropriates funds to be expended by the Department of Health as a grant for the Hawaii Primary Care Association to support solar-plus-storage microgrid implementation at community health centers in medically underserved communities.
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HHS, WAM [Measure added on 02-10-26] |
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RELATING TO COMMERCE. Prohibits acquiring and holding stocks and other interests if the acquisition and holding lessens access to health care or increases insurance rates.
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HHS, CPN/JDC [Measure added on 02-10-26] |
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RELATING TO HOSPITAL DISCHARGE DATA. Establishes a statewide system for collecting, auditing, and publicly releasing of de‑identified hospital discharge data. Requires the State Health Planning and Development Agency to convene a working group. Appropriates funds.
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HHS, WAM [Measure added on 02-10-26] |
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RELATING TO MENTAL ILLNESS. Clarifies the procedures for assisted community treatment, examination, and hospitalization for individuals who may be mentally ill or suffering from substance abuse who are imminently dangerous to self, others, or property. Amends the procedures for involuntary hospitalizations and assisted community treatment petitions. Amends the Hawaii Penal Code to streamline the determination process for penal responsibility and fitness to proceed, including requiring courts to issue orders for treatment to defendants excluded from penal responsibility due to a mental disease, disorder, or defect.
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HHS, JDC/WAM [Measure added on 02-10-26] |
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RELATING TO HEALTH CARE. Adopts the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act (2023), as modified, to replace existing chapters related to advance health care directives and advance mental health care directives.
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HHS, JDC [Measure added on 02-10-26] |
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RELATING TO HOMEMADE FOOD PRODUCTS. Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules to authorize and regulate farm kitchens on the same basis as home kitchens producing homemade food products.
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HHS, WAM [Measure added on 02-10-26] |
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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 minutes 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 HHScommittee@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 808-586-6890.
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_____________________________________ Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura Chair |
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