HB 1542 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO COMPASSIONATE ACCESS TO MEDICAL CANNABIS.

Summary

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)

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Feb 6, 2026

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What changed between versions

HB1542 → HB1542_HD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

HB 1542 was amended to change the bill's title and effective date, while significantly modifying the rules for how health care facilities must handle medical cannabis. The most important change is that facilities are now allowed to choose whether to permit patient use of cannabis, rather than being strictly required to allow it, though they must follow specific safety guidelines if they do. The bill also updated several definitions to clarify what constitutes a 'life-threatening illness' and expanded the list of excluded facilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from a mandatory requirement for health care facilities to permit patient use of medical cannabis to a permissive framework where facilities may elect to allow such use, provided they follow specific safety and storage protocols.

REQUIREMENT

Health care facilities are no longer strictly required to permit patient use of medical cannabis; they may now elect to permit it, but if they do, they must follow specific rules regarding storage, prohibition of smoking/vaping, and staff training.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'medical cannabis' was updated to specify that it must be a 'manufactured' product, and the definition of 'health care facility' was expanded to explicitly exclude chemical dependency residential treatment centers.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from 'upon approval' to a specific future date of July 1, 3000.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was updated to reflect House District 1 (HD1) sponsorship, and the report title was changed to 'Compassionate Access' instead of 'Access'.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 6, 2026

Committee

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 46-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.

lower

Feb 4, 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, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to HLT, CPC, JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Prefiled.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors