KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2025
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Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura, Chair |
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Senator Henry J.C. Aquino, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Wednesday, January 29, 2025 |
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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 G E N D A
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RELATING TO INSURANCE. Requires all health insurers in the state, including Medicaid managed care programs, to cover annual mental health wellness examinations.
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HHS, CPN/WAM |
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RELATING TO INSURANCE. For policies, contracts, plans, and agreements issued or renewed after 12/31/2025, requires the insurers, mutual benefit societies, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for standard fertility preservation services for persons undergoing medically necessary treatment that may cause iatrogenic infertility.
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HHS, CPN/WAM |
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RELATING TO TERMINAL ILLNESSES. Authorizes manufacturers of investigational drugs or biological products that are pending approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration to make the drugs or products available to terminally ill patients under certain conditions. Effective 1/1/2026.
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HHS, CPN/JDC |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Expands eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to include any individual or household whose monthly income is equal to or less than three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level. Appropriates funds.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. Allows the Department of Human Services to administer and provide public assistance to eligible residents of the State during a Governor-Declared State of Emergency.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Appropriates funds to the Department of Human Services to improve Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program rates, including establishing additional positions.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. Requires the Department of Human Services to adjust the minimum certification periods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits households, participate in the Elderly Simplified Application Project, and report to the Legislature.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, requires the Department of Human Services to: (1) prorate or exclude certain income from household members who are ineligible for the Program; (2) establish a standardized medical expense deduction option for elderly or disabled household members; (3) establish a pre-release Program application form for individuals who are incarcerated and scheduled for release; and (4) report to the Legislature. Specifies that, for purposes of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the federal restriction of providing Program benefits to certain individuals does not apply in Hawaii.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE. Establishes a Child Welfare Services Branch (CWS) Oversight Commission within the Department of the Attorney General to review and assess case management procedures, training, staffing levels and other support given to CWS and address issues identified in the 2024 Auditor's Report on CWS and make recommendations on actions to reduce child harm and death and for legislation, funding, and other needs for CWS to support the goals of the Commission. Requires annual status reports to the Legislature. Dissolves the Commission on 6/30/2028. Appropriates funds.
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HHS, WAM/JDC |
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RELATING TO FOSTER CARE. Prohibits the Department of Human Services from using any social security income payments, including supplemental income payments it receives on behalf of a child under foster custody of the Department to cover the cost of foster care services. Requires the Department of Human Services to deposit all social security income payments received on behalf of a child under foster custody of the Department into a savings account that shall be made accessible to the child when the child leaves foster care custody.
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HHS, WAM |
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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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