SB 2289 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CERTIFICATES OF NEED.

Summary

Exempts from the certificate of need requirements certain health care facilities and services that provide certain health care services, serve federally designated medically underserved rural areas, lower patient costs, are unlikely to be overprescribed, and assist certain vulnerable populations. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action Feb 17, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2289 → SB2289_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill update shifts from an HB template to an SD (Senate) template, indicating the bill has moved to the Senate stage. The primary substantive change is the reorganization of the list of health care facilities exempt from certificate of need requirements, which now includes home care agencies, kidney disease centers, neonatal intensive care units, and burn care units in specific new positions. The bill's purpose remains to exempt certain facilities to lower costs and assist vulnerable populations, but the specific list of exempt entities has been reordered and slightly modified to clarify eligibility.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding specific exempt facilities was modified by renumbering and reordering the list of eligible facilities, while the overall intent to exempt these facilities from certificate of need requirements remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was updated from 'SB2289' to 'SB2289 SD1' and the sponsor name changed from 'Jill M. Tsuchitori' to 'Fredrick Akau', reflecting the bill's progression to the Senate and a change in sponsorship.

DEFINITION

The list of exempt health care facilities was reorganized and renumbered; for example, 'Home care agencies' and 'Kidney disease treatment centers' were moved up in the list, while 'Hospital beds dedicated to pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit patients' and 'Organized ambulatory health care facilities' were removed from the specific list.

REQUIREMENT

The language for exempting facilities offering substance abuse treatment programs was slightly modified to improve clarity by changing 'employ health care providers' to 'employ health care providers or certified substance abuse counselors'.

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

Feb 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2296) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 6, 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, McKelvey, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Kanuha.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to HHS, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 15, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor