Healthcare

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 2508: 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. Establishes an air medical director, an air medical program manager, and an air medical coordinator. Specifies that annual licensure and accreditation fees are to be deposited into the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund for costs of the program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes statewide air medical program with dedicated funding to strengthen emergency medical services coordination and infrastructure.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Hawaii · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 1996: RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.

Exempts from the general excise tax, gross receipts from the sale of hearing aids received by a hospital, infirmary, medical clinic, health care facility, pharmacy, or a practitioner licensed to administer drugs to an individual. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill exempts hearing aid sales from general excise tax, providing tax relief for necessary medical devices, aligning with tax relief indicators.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts hearing aid sales from tax, reducing costs and improving access to a healthcare service (hearing aids) for patients.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 18, 2026

HB 2224: RELATING TO MEDICAID.

Repeals a provision in Act 4, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, that prohibits the Department of Human Services from taking any action to remove pharmaceutical benefits management from managed care plans that provide health care coverage for Hawaii Medicaid beneficiaries. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals prohibition preventing Medicaid department from removing PBMs from managed care plans, enabling improved pharmaceutical benefits management for beneficiaries.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 1731: RELATING TO COMMUNITY CARE FOSTER FAMILY HOMES.

Clarifies that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who meet an intermediate care facility or nursing facility level of care shall not be denied residency in a licensed community care foster family home solely because of their disability or enrollment in a specific medicaid waiver program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnsures Medicaid waiver participants access foster homes, preventing denial based on disability or Medicaid status, supporting healthcare access for disabled individuals.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents housing discrimination against disabled individuals in foster homes, directly protecting tenant rights and ensuring housing access per topic indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 2605: RELATING TO THE ARTS.

Establishes a position within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to support implementation and coordination of specialized arts programs and therapeutic arts interventions for underserved and neurodiverse populations. Appropriates funds for the position, programs, and interventions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds for specialized arts programs and a new position at the State Foundation, directly funding arts services for underserved populations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates funds for specialized arts programs and therapeutic interventions targeting underserved/neurodiverse students, expanding educational access and support.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds therapeutic arts interventions, a mental health service, for underserved populations under healthcare's mental health focus.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 1704: RELATING TO THE PSYCHOLOGY INTERJURISDICTIONAL COMPACT.

Adopts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact to regulate the practice of telepsychology and temporary in-person, face‑to‑face practice of psychology by psychologists across state boundaries in the performance of their psychological practice. Requires the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to adopt rules to implement and administer the compact. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables cross-state telepsychology and in-person practice via PSYPACT, improving mental health service access across state lines per compact goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 814: RELATING TO CANNABIS.

Appropriates funds for the Department of Health to develop and implement a public health and informational campaign and contract with community-based organizations to prevent substance misuse and treat substance use disorder among youth. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds public health campaign and youth substance use treatment grants under DOH, directly advancing healthcare services for substance misuse prevention and treatment.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 10, 2026

HB 1567: RELATING TO ENERGY EQUITY.

Allows the Public Utilities Commission to establish a lifeline baseline performance standard and medically essential needs energy program based on proposals from electric utilities. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRequires affordable residential rates, medical energy program, and equity-focused tariffs - protects low-income consumers and aligns with clean energy access goals.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExplicitly creates a Medical Essential Needs Energy Program to ensure reliable electricity for medical devices, directly supporting healthcare access for vulnerable populations.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 6, 2026

HB 1542: RELATING TO COMPASSIONATE ACCESS TO MEDICAL CANNABIS.

Allows terminally ill patients and qualifying patients over sixty-five years of age with chronic diseases to use medical cannabis within specified health care facilities under certain conditions. Requires enforcement by the Department of Health. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands patient access to medical cannabis for terminally ill and elderly with chronic diseases in healthcare facilities, improving treatment access within healthcare system.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 218: RELATING TO HOSPITALS.

Requires any hospital licensed by the Department of Health that has an operating room to adopt and implement policies to prevent exposure to surgical smoke. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates hospitals to adopt surgical smoke exposure prevention policies, enhancing patient/staff safety in healthcare delivery and aligning with health service protection indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track