HB1282 • 2026

RELATING TO CERTIFIED CAREGIVERS.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: LAMOSAO, CHUN, TAKENOUCHI
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify if there will be additional training or other requirements for younger caregivers beyond the age requirement change.

Lowering the Minimum Age for Certified Caregivers

This bill lowers the minimum age requirement for certified caregivers in adult foster homes from twenty-one to eighteen years old.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law so that people as young as eighteen can become certified caregivers for adult foster homes.

Who It Names or Affects

People who want to become certified caregivers for adult foster homes
Adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities living in these homes

Terms To Know

Certified Caregiver: An individual who is eighteen years of age or older, resides in an adult foster home, and has been issued by the Department of Health a valid certificate to provide care.
Adult Foster Home: A private family home providing 24-hour care for adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the change will affect current caregivers who are under twenty-one.
It is unclear if there will be additional training requirements for younger certified caregivers.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment lowers the minimum age requirement for certified caregivers in adult foster homes from twenty-one to eighteen years old.

Reduces the minimum age requirement for a certified caregiver from twenty-one to eighteen years old.

The future effective date of July 1, 3000 is noted but seems unrealistic and likely an error in the amendment text.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-19 H
The committee(s) on CPC recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2025-02-14 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Wednesday, 02-19-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-12 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Sayama, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-12 H
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 448) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2025-02-07 H
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, Chun, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-02-05 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Friday, 02-07-25 8:45AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-27 H
Referred to HLT, CPC, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-22 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CERTIFIED CAREGIVERS.
Adult Foster Homes; Certified Caregiver; Minimum Age
Lowers the minimum age for certified caregivers for adult foster homes from twenty-one to eighteen. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1282

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1282

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to certified caregivers
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 321-11.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"
(a)
�
The department of health is authorized to
certify adult foster homes for individuals with developmental or intellectual
disabilities requiring care beyond the individual's eighteenth birthday.
�
"Adult foster home" means a private
family home providing care on a twenty-four hour basis to adults with
developmental or intellectual disabilities.
�

To be certified, an adult foster home shall
house not more than
two adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities who are unrelated to
the certified caregiver at the same time.
�

The director of health may waive the two-adult limit for
certification
of
that home as an
adult foster home; provided that the total number of adults with developmental
or intellectual disabilities in the home shall not exceed three adults with
developmental or intellectual disabilities who are related or unrelated to the
certified caregiver.

����
For
the purposes of this subsection:

����
"Certified
caregiver" means an individual who is [
twenty-one
]
eighteen
years
of age or older, resides in an adult foster home, and has been issued by the
department a valid certificate of approval to provide care, training, and
supervision on a twenty-four hour basis to adults with developmental or
intellectual disabilities.

����
"Related"
means connected by legal guardianship, trusteeship, blood, marriage, or a legal
relationship between the certified caregiver and the adult with developmental
or intellectual disabilities."

����
SECTION
2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Adult
Foster Homes; Certified Caregiver

Description:

Lowers
the minimum age that a certified caregiver for an adult foster home must be
from twenty-one to eighteen.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.