HB 1537 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH.

Summary

Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to contract with community-based organizations to provide preventive and early intervention mental health services to adolescents within the community. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Mar 10, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1537 → HB1537_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to update the reporting deadline from the 2027 legislative session to the 2028 session, ensuring the Department of Health has sufficient time to evaluate the initial program. The appropriation amount was removed to allow the legislature to determine the specific funding level during the budget process. Additionally, the effective date was drastically changed to July 1, 3000, which would delay the implementation of the mental health services program by over a century.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on providing mental health services to adolescents, but the timeline for implementation and reporting has been significantly altered.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the Department of Health to submit its initial report was extended from the 2027 legislative session to the 2028 legislative session.

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 3000, effectively postponing the start of the program.

FISCAL

The specific appropriation of $3,000,000 was removed, leaving the funding amount to be determined by the legislature.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to HHS, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 15).

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M..

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Reported from HLT/HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 306-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to HLT/HSH, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Prefiled.

lower

22 primary · 0 co-sponsors