HB 1976 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO DEMENTIA.

Summary

Requires the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, fire chiefs, Law Enforcement Standards Board, and Department of Health to make available at least one hour of dementia‑specific training for first responders, including law enforcement officers, fire first responders, and emergency medical services personnel. Requires the Executive Office on Aging to take certain steps when reviewing and recommending dementia-specific training curricula. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

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 23, 2026 Last action May 1, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1976_HD1 → HB1976_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a House draft to a Senate version, changing the mandate from requiring first responders to complete dementia training to merely making the training available to them. This shift reduces the obligation on agencies while maintaining the goal of improving care for individuals with dementia. The effective date was also updated from the year 3000 to a specific date in 2026.

Scope change

The scope of mandatory participation changed from a requirement for all first responders to complete training to an option where they may complete training if available.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the obligation for first responders from 'shall complete' mandatory training to 'may complete' optional training.

Changed the duty of agencies from 'providing' or 'requiring' training to 'making available' training, reducing the administrative burden on departments.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date from a placeholder year (3000) to a specific date in 2026.

TECHNICAL

Adjusted the bill title and report summary to reflect the change from mandatory to optional training language.

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 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:30PM in Conference Room 329.

lower

Apr 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 3:45PM in conference room 329.

lower

Apr 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 4:00PM in conference room 329.

lower

Apr 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 04-28-26 3:45PM in conference room 329.

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 542) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..

upper

Apr 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from HHS/PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3307) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Hashimoto, Inouye, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS/PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 2:45PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to HHS/PSM, WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 174).

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso, Quinlan, Sayama excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 395-26), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Committee

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 48-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS.

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 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to HLT, PBS, FIN, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

34 primary · 0 co-sponsors