This Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 21) requests the Hawai'i Health Systems Corporation's East Hawai'i Regional Health Care System to study establishing a rural health clinic or similar access point in Volcano, Hawaii. The resolution directly affects Volcano residents and visitors, who currently lack nearby primary care, emergency stabilization, and consistent medical services due to geographic isolation and hazards. The study must examine potential sites, operational models (like part-time care or telehealth), staffing, costs, partnerships with local groups, and benefits for emergency response and chronic care. The East Hawai'i Region must submit findings and recommendations to the Legislature by late 2026.
This Senate Resolution (SR 18) requests the Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation's East Hawaiʻi Regional Health Care System to study establishing a rural health clinic in Volcano, Hawaiʻi. It directly affects Volcano residents - who currently lack nearby primary care, emergency services, and face geographic barriers - and visitors to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. The study must examine potential clinic sites, operational models (like part-time care or mobile clinics), costs, staffing, and partnerships with local groups. The resolution does not create new services but asks for a feasibility report to be submitted to the Legislature by late 2026.
This Senate Resolution (SR 10) urges Hawaii counties to approve or deny building permit applications for home modifications within 45 days of receiving a complete application. The modifications must be prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider and deemed essential for the safety or health of an older adult (62+) or person with a disability. Key provisions require counties to prioritize these applications - such as installing ramps, grab bars, or widened doorways - to enable aging in place and prevent fall-related injuries. The resolution does not create new law but formally requests counties streamline this process to reduce delays.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 7) affirms Hawaii's support for hospitals providing emergency medical care - including abortion services - when medically necessary to stabilize pregnant patients under federal law (EMTALA). It directly addresses hospitals in Hawaii, urging all facilities (including religiously affiliated ones) to uphold EMTALA’s requirement to deliver life-saving care for conditions like hemorrhage or ectopic pregnancy. The resolution responds to recent federal policy shifts causing confusion about EMTALA’s application, reinforcing that hospitals must not delay or deny such care. It does not create new legal requirements but formally aligns Hawaii’s healthcare system with existing federal standards.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 8) urges Hawaii counties to approve or deny building permit applications for home safety modifications within 45 days of receiving a complete application. It specifically targets modifications - like ramps, grab bars, or widened doorways - prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider and deemed essential for the safety or health of older adults (62+) or people with disabilities. The resolution does not create new law but encourages counties to act faster to reduce delays that contribute to fall-related injuries and hospitalizations, citing 2023 data showing over 200 preventable fall deaths among seniors.
Senate Resolution 7 affirms Hawaii's support for the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals to provide life-saving emergency care - including abortion services when medically necessary - to stabilize pregnant patients experiencing medical emergencies. The resolution urges all Hawaii hospitals, regardless of religious affiliation, to uphold EMTALA's requirements and ensure no pregnant patient faces delays or denials of timely emergency care. This is a declaratory statement of policy, not a new law, aimed at reinforcing existing federal standards and clarifying Hawaii's commitment to reproductive healthcare access during medical emergencies.
This bill urges Maui Health to work with state agencies, medical schools, and community health centers to create a full-time medical residency program on Maui. It highlights the island's severe shortage of physicians, which worsened after the 2023 wildfires and currently leaves many residents without access to primary care and specialized services. The resolution specifically asks Maui Health to use available federal funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program to help cover the costs of establishing the program. Additionally, the bill requires Maui Health to report its progress and recommendations to the Legislature within 20 days before the 2027 session begins.
This bill requests the Governor's Senior Advisor for Mental Health and the Justice System to develop a plan for increasing access to the Hawaii State Hospital for mentally ill criminal defendants and individuals recently released from the hospital who are at risk of returning to the justice system. The resolution addresses concerns that the hospital is currently at full capacity and that existing diversion programs have not effectively reduced the jail population due to a lack of coordination between state agencies. The plan must identify suitable placements for people in civil commitment or those being evaluated for fitness to stand trial, with a report and any proposed legislation due to the Legislature before the start of the 2027 session.
This bill requests the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to compile and maintain a public list of recommended safe patient staffing ratios for all nursing specialties across various healthcare settings. The measure aims to address concerns about nurse workload and patient safety by gathering existing standards from other states and industry recommendations rather than setting new legal requirements. Healthcare facilities are urged to consider these compiled ratios when determining staffing levels, and the information will be made publicly available before the 2027 legislative session. The resolution focuses on creating a centralized resource to inform decision-making by providers, policymakers, and the public about staffing standards.
HCR 18 is a concurrent resolution requesting Hawaii's Department of Health to form a Hospice Working Group to examine trends and regulations in the hospice industry. The group, composed of health officials and five established Hawaii hospices (representing each major county), will study national and local hospice trends, review existing regulations, and recommend improvements to ensure quality care as Hawaii's aging population grows. This resolution directly affects Hawaii's 13 hospice providers and the state's future healthcare planning for seniors, with a report due to the Legislature by early 2027. It does not change current laws but seeks data to inform potential future policy adjustments.
