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: |
Monday, February 3, 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 ACT 253, SESSION LAWS OF HAWAII 2023. Updates the name of the Neighbor Islands Blind and Visually Impaired Service Pilot Program established by Act 253, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023, by replacing the term "visually impaired" with the term "low vision" and clarifies the pilot program's implementation timeframes. Sunsets 6/30/2029.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO MEDICAL RECORDS. Repeals the requirement for the Department of Health to approve a provider's arrangement for the retention and preservation of patients' medical records prior to ceasing operations. Clarifies that retention and preservation of medical records must be consistent with federal and state regulations.
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HHS, JDC |
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RELATING TO NON-GENERAL FUNDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. Repeals the birth defects special fund and deposits a portion of fees for certified copies and marriage licenses into the vital statistics improvement special fund.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO AMENDING SECTION 323D-54, HAWAII REVISED STATUTES, TO EXEMPT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FROM CERTIFICATE OF NEED REQUIREMENTS. Amends section 323D-54, HRS, to exempt the Department of Health from the State Health Planning and Development Agency's certificate of need requirements.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO CREDENTIALING OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. Authorizes the Department of Health to implement a two-year pilot program that reduces duplicative activities required for the credentialing of health care providers by hospitals, universities, clinics, health plans, and independent practice associations; and establishes an advisory committee. Appropriates funds.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE STATE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Amends the quorum requirement for the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee.
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HHS, JDC |
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RELATING TO EMERGENCY AEROMEDICAL SERVICES. Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to expand access to emergency aeromedical services.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO VIRAL HEPATITIS. Establishes and appropriates moneys for a hepatitis prevention program within the Department of Health. Repeals section 325-91, HRS.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO HARM REDUCTION. Repeals the one-to-one syringe limit for the needle exchange program. Authorizes the Sterile Needle and Syringe Exchange Program to provide needs-based distribution. Authorizes non-injection drug user participation in the Program. Modifies liability for exchange program participants, staff, and law enforcement officers.
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HHS, JDC |
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RELATING TO UNIVERSAL IMMUNIZATION FUNDING PROGRAM. Establishes the Universal Immunization Purchase Special Fund into which the fees will be deposited to finance the distribution of immunizations free of charge to qualifying healthcare providers.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS. Requires any order to cease and desist issued by the Director of Health that is administratively appealed to remain in effect during the appeals process.
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HHS, JDC |
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MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR CONSTRUCTION DEFECT REMEDIATION AT THE HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL. Emergency Appropriation of $8,160,000 in general funds to the Department of Health to fund construction defect remediation, including the payment of legal fees and cost of special deputies attorney general, of the Hale Ho`ola Building of the Hawaii State Hospital.
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HHS, WAM |
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RELATING TO HEARING AIDS. Requires health insurance policies and contracts issued on or after 1/1/2026 to provide coverage for the cost of hearing aids at a minimum $1,500 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every thirty-six months.
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HHS, CPN |
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RELATING TO HEARING AIDS. Exempts from the general excise tax, gross receipts received by a hospital, infirmary, medical clinic, health care facility, pharmacy, or a practitioner licensed to administer drugs to an individual, from the sale of hearing aids. Sunsets 1/1/2027.
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HHS, WAM/CPN |
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RELATING TO FAMILY. Establishes an exemption from mediation in paternity proceedings where there are allegations of domestic abuse. Clarifies the exemption from mediation in divorce proceedings as it relates to domestic abuse.
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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 |