HB1509 • 2026

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: MATAYOSHI, GRANDINETTI, ILAGAN, KAHALOA, KILA, KITAGAWA, KUSCH, LEE, M., MARTEN, MORIKAWA, OLDS, TAKAYAMA, TAM, TARNAS, TEMPLO
Last action: 2026-05-07
Official status: Transmitted to Governor.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
Workers' Compensation; Treatment Plan; Response; Penalty Repeals the authorization of a physician to transmit a treatment plan by mail or facsimile and the requirement that the physician submit the plan to an address or facsimile number provided by the employer.
Requires an employer to file a response, either accepting or objecting to a treatment plan, within ten days of receipt.
Imposes a monetary penalty if an employer does not file a response within the ten-day period, unless there was good cause for the delay.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: HB1509 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1509 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1509 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB1509 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1509 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1509 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION .

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: HB1509 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1509 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1509 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB1509 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1509 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1509 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-07 H
Transmitted to Governor.
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
2026-05-01 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 145-26).
2026-05-01 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 145-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-05-01 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Keohokalole, Rhoads, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao.
2026-05-01 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Matayoshi, Lee, M., Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-30 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 05-01-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
2026-04-29 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
2026-04-28 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-29-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
2026-04-27 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Tuesday 04-28-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
2026-04-24 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Monday 04-27-26 9:00AM in conference room 016.
2026-04-23 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Friday, 04-24-26 8:45AM in conference room 016.
2026-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 717).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Elefante Chair; Keohokalole, Rhoads, Kanuha Co-Chairs; Lamosao.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Sayama, Matayoshi, Lee, M. Co-Chairs; Garcia.
2026-04-20 H
Re-referred to LAB, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 30
2026-04-17 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).
2026-04-16 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2026-04-14 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 574) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-04-14 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-10 S
One Day Notice 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 S
Reported from JDC/WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3800) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-08 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) San Buenaventura ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-08 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-06 S
The committee(s) on JDC/WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-08-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from LBT/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3371) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on LBT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in LBT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Lamosao, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Fevella.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Lamosao, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on LBT/CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-03-18 S
Re-Referred to LBT/CPN, JDC/WAM.
2026-03-12 S
Referred to LBT, JDC/WAM.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 231).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1049-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-20 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) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 630-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2026-02-17 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-13 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Tuesday, 02-17-26 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to LAB, CPC, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-14 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
Workers' Compensation; Treatment Plan; Response; Penalty
Repeals the authorization of a physician to transmit a treatment plan by mail or facsimile and the requirement that the physician submit the plan to an address or facsimile number provided by the employer. Requires an employer to file a response, either accepting or objecting to a treatment plan, within ten days of receipt. Imposes a monetary penalty if an employer does not file a response within the ten-day period, unless there was good cause for the delay. Clarifies that a treatment plan is deemed accepted if an employer fails to file certain documents within the ten-day period. Imposes penalties on employers found to have improperly denied a treatment plan. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1509

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1509

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to workers' compensation
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 386-21.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
[
[
]�386-21.2[
]
]
�
Treatment plans.
�
(a)
�

A physician may transmit a treatment plan to an employer by mail or
facsimile; provided that the physician shall send the treatment plan to an
address or facsimile number provided by the employer.

����
(b)
�

Beginning January 1, 2021, an employer shall allow a physician to
transmit a treatment plan to an employer by mail, facsimile, or secure
electronic means; provided that the physician shall send the treatment plan to
an address or facsimile number provided by the employer.

����
(c)
�

A treatment plan shall be deemed received by an employer when the plan
is sent by mail or facsimile with reasonable evidence showing that the
treatment plan was received.

����
(d)
�
An employer shall file a response with the
director, either accepting or objecting to the treatment plan, within seven
days after the treatment plan is deemed received by the employer pursuant to
subsection (c).
�
In addition to any other
applicable fines, an employer who fails to file a response within the seven-day
period shall be fined $500.

����
[
(d)
]
(e)
�
A treatment plan shall be deemed accepted if
an employer fails to file with the director[
:
]
, with a copy to the
physician and the injured employee:

����
(1)
�
An objection to
the treatment plan;

����
(2)
�
Any applicable
documentary evidence supporting the denial; and

����
(3)
�
A copy of the
denied treatment plan,

[
copying the physician and the injured employee.
]

within seven days of receipt of the treatment plan pursuant to subsection
(d).

����
[
(e)
]
(f)
�
After acceptance of the treatment plan, an
employer may file an objection to the plan if new documentary evidence
supporting the denial is received by the employer."

����
SECTION
2.
�
This Act does not affect rights and
duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were
begun before its effective date.

����
SECTION 3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Workers'
Compensation; Treatment Plan; Response; Penalty

Description:

Requires
an employer to file a response, either accepting or objecting to a treatment
plan, within seven days of receipt.
�

Imposes a monetary penalty if an employer does not file a response
within the seven-day period.
�
Clarifies
that a treatment plan is deemed accepted if an employer fails to file certain
documents within the seven-day period.

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