Requires the Department of Health to develop a service availability form to be completed by covered entities to convey to patients and the public certain health care services unavailable at the entity before 12/1/2026, and to publish and maintain on its website a list of covered entities and the service availability form submitted by each covered entity before 02/1/2027. Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules, including a process for receiving and investigating complaints and assessing fines against covered entities in violation. Requires each covered entity to submit a completed service availability form to the Department of Health, adopt certain relevant policies by 2/1/2027, provide patients with their current service availability form as part of the informed consent process before initiating a health care service, and maintain a record of the patient's receipt of the form beginning 2/1/2027. Establishes penalties.
Sponsored bills
Establishes a Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Fee Program to be administered by the Department of Health that, beginning 7/1/2026, imposes a fee on the distribution and sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in the State. Establishes the Healthy Ohana Special Fund into which revenues generated from the sugar-sweetened beverage fee are deposited. Establishes the Healthy Ohana Trust Fund in the private sector to receive revenues from the Healthy Ohana Special Fund to support prevention and control of obesity and chronic diseases. Allows the Department to contract with a third party to administer the program. Requires the Auditor to conduct a management and financial audit of the program and submit reports to the Legislature. Establishes the Healthy Ohana Trust Fund Advisory Committee to advise the Department on the administration of the trust fund. Requires the Department to adopt interim rules no later than 6/30/2026, and final rules no later than 12/31/2027. Establishes civil penalties. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
Maddy summarySB 123 eliminates a tax deduction for home mortgage interest on second homes under Hawaii's income tax law. This change directly affects Hawaii residents who currently claim this deduction for properties not used as their primary residence. The bill requires the state to submit annual reports to the Legislature detailing the deduction's impact. These provisions represent a specific policy change to Hawaii's tax code, removing a financial benefit for second-home owners.
Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to the Department of Health for construction defect remediation at the Hawaii State Hospital. Establishes one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) building manager position at the Hawaii State Hospital. Appropriates funds.
Establishes a comprehensive system of public financing for all candidates seeking election to state and county public offices in the State of Hawaii, to begin with the 2028 general election year. Requires the Campaign Spending Commission to submit reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 4/23/2057. (SD1)
Requires sellers or providers of emotional support animals, as well as those issuing verifications of a disability related need for an emotional support animal, to provide written notice to the buyer or recipient containing certain information. Requires persons or businesses that sell or provide certificates, vests, or identification tags that identify an animal as an emotional support animal to provide written notice to the buyer or recipient containing certain information. Establishes penalties. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
Expands the State's temporary disability insurance coverage to, and exempts from TDI benefit eligibility requirements that are employment-related, employees who are unable to perform their employment duties due to the employee's childbirth or provision of kangaroo care to, or expression of breast milk for, the employee's child who is required to stay in a neonatal intensive care unit. Extends under certain conditions the temporary disability benefit payment period and family leave period for employees who are unable to perform their employment duties due to a preterm birth of a child who is required to stay in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or birth of a child who is required to stay in a NICU for more than eight weeks. Defines "kangaroo care" and "preterm birth". Requires the Department of Health to amend its rules to include neonatal care as related condition where the phrase "pregnancy, childbirth, or other related condition" is used.
Requires individuals denied a firearm permit or otherwise disqualified from possessing firearms and certain defendants to provide a sworn statement that the individual has disposed of any firearms and ammunition in the individual's possession. Requires the applicable chief of police to search firearm permit and registration records for those individuals before serving a protective order or restraining order involving firearms or ammunition, and to seize any firearms or ammunition that were not disposed of. Requires police to seize firearms and ammunition in domestic abuse cases that are in plain view of the officer or discovered by consensual search.
Requires Huli Au Ola to conduct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and retention to serve the island of Molokai. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)
Provides that if a law enforcement officer lawfully stops a motor vehicle and the operator is cited for driving without a valid license, the officer shall not permit the operator to resume the use of the motor vehicle. Requires the motor vehicle to be moved by a licensed driver or towed at the owner's expense. Provides that the cited operator is responsible for arranging the operator's transportation from the scene of the stop. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)