HB 1550 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO HEALTH.

HB 1550 removes drug testing products (like home kits or workplace screening tools) from the legal definition of "drug paraphernalia" under the Uniform Controlled Substances Act. This change directly affects businesses that sell these products and individuals who use them, as they will no longer face penalties for possessing them under current drug paraphernalia laws. The bill achieves this by amending the statute to specifically exclude these testing products from the prohibited category. The policy change clarifies legal status without altering broader drug control provisions.

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action May 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1550_SD1 → HB1550_SD2 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the legislative metadata to reflect a new sponsor and revised dates, while substantively expanding the definition of drug paraphernalia to include diluents and adulterants. The most significant policy change is the extension of the bill's effective date to March 22, 2075, providing a much longer implementation timeline than the original version.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded by explicitly including diluents and adulterants (such as quinine hydrochloride and mannitol) in the definition of drug paraphernalia, whereas the previous version excluded these items.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from immediate approval to March 22, 2075.

DEFINITION

The definition of drug paraphernalia was modified to include diluents and adulterants used in cutting controlled substances.

TECHNICAL

The bill sponsor was changed from Fredrick Akau to Blake Anderson, and associated metadata dates and numbers were updated.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 6, 2026

Committee

Recommitted to Conference committee as amended in CD 1 with none voting no and Representative(s) Alcos excused.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 80-26).

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 80-26) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Tarnas, Keohokapu-Lee Loy; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Rhoads, McKelvey; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-29-26 3:45PM; CR 329.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 584) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:40AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Committee

Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3191) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Mar 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to HHS, JDC.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 243).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Kila voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Cochran, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 359-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 13, 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, JHA, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 15, 2026

Introduced

Prefiled.

lower

14 primary · 1 co-sponsor