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 |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 |
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TIME: |
1:40 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 G E N D A
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RELATING TO PARKING FOR DISABLED PERSONS. Requires the Disability and Communication Access Board to issue a disability travel placard to an applicant who has a valid removeable windshield placard and provides proof of travel. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
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HHS, JDC |
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RELATING TO THE DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD. Requires the Disability and Communication Access Board to study the health care communication needs of patients who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf-blind. Requires a report to the Legislature twenty days prior to the 2027 Regular Session. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT. Extends child care subsidies to disabled parents or guardians, regardless of their employment status. Requires the Department of Human Services to evaluate caregiver capacity and dependent-care responsibilities when determining eligibility for Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services. Requires the Department of Human Services to update its health and functional assessment protocols related to at-risk needs determinations. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE HOUSEHOLD AND DEPENDENT CARE SERVICES TAX CREDIT. Increases a taxpayer's applicable percentage of employment-related expenses that is used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit. Establishes certain disallowance periods following a final decision that a claim for the credit was due to fraud and that the claim was disallowed. Extends the sunset date of the temporary increase in maximum employment-related expenses that are used to calculate the household and dependent care services tax credit, established by Act 163, SLH 2023, to 6/30/2030. Sunsets 6/30/2030. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. By 1/1/2028, requires the Department of Human Services, upon obtaining a federal waiver, to establish a pre-release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application process for inmates nearing release. Allows all individuals convicted of an offense involving the possession, use, or distribution of a controlled substance to apply for SNAP benefits, regardless of treatment status. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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HHS, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO FOOD SECURITY. Establishes and appropriates funds in the form of grants for the Hawaii Farm to Families Program under the Department of Human Services to alleviate food shortages in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature before the Regular Sessions of 2027 and 2028. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO AGGRAVATED CIRCUMSTANCES IN CHILD PROTECTIVE PROCEEDINGS. Clarifies and expands procedures for aggravated circumstances determinations in Child Protective Act proceedings. Authorizes the Family Court to make a finding of aggravated circumstances at any stage of a Child Protective Act proceeding before the termination of parental rights, rather than limiting these findings to the return hearing. Incorporates the definition of torture under the Penal Code for purposes of defining aggravated circumstances involving child torture under the Child Protective Act. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
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HHS, JDC |
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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 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 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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