HB1973 • 2026

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Budget Healthcare

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: CHUN, AMATO, BELATTI, EVSLIN, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, HARTSFIELD, HASHEM, ICHIYAMA, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KAPELA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, LA CHICA, LEE, M., LOWEN, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SAYAMA, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAKENOUCHI, TAM, TEMPLO, YAMASHITA
Last action: 2026-05-07
Official status: Transmitted to Governor.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how healthcare providers will be contracted or the exact nature of these contracts.

KupunAloha Pilot Program

This bill establishes a one-year KupunAloha program within the Department of Health to provide in-home health care services for elderly individuals who do not qualify for existing government programs and cannot afford these services.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the KupunAloha program within the Department of Health to offer in-home health care and support services.
Requires the department to create a plan of care for each eligible applicant.
Allows the department to enter into contracts with healthcare providers to provide these services.
Appropriates $2,000,000 from state funds for fiscal year 2026-2027 to support the program.

Who It Names or Affects

Elderly individuals in Hawaii who need in-home health care but do not qualify for existing government programs like Medicare.
Healthcare providers who may enter into contracts with the Department of Health to provide services under this program.

Terms To Know

KupunAloha Program: A one-year pilot program within the Hawaii Department of Health that provides in-home health care and support services for eligible elderly individuals who do not qualify for existing government assistance programs.
Plan of Care: A personalized healthcare plan created by the Department of Health for each participant in the KupunAloha program, outlining the specific health care and support services needed.

Limits and Unknowns

The program is only available to individuals who do not qualify for Medicare or other government assistance programs.
Participants must meet income and need requirements set by the Department of Health.
The pilot program will end on June 30, 2027.

Amendments

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

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: HB1973 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1973 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1973 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB1973 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1973 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1973 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB1973 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1973 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1973 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 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 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
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).
2026-05-01 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. 176-26).
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. 176-26) 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: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2026-05-01 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Marten, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Alcos; 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 3:45PM in conference room 329.
2026-04-28 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-30-26 4:00PM in conference room 329.
2026-04-27 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Tuesday, 04-28-26 3:45PM in conference room 329.
2026-04-23 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 725).
2026-04-22 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: McKelvey Chair; Moriwaki Co-Chair; Fevella.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Takayama, Marten, Keohokapu-Lee Loy Co-Chairs; Alcos.
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. 647) 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 WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3705) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
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, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-06 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-08-26 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-25 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-25 S
Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3194) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-20 S
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, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey.
2026-03-17 S
The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to HHS, WAM.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 69).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 840-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-27 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Lee, M..
2026-02-24 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Friday, 02-27-26 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from HLT/HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 343-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-06 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, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT/HSH on Friday, 02-06-26 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to HLT/HSH, FIN, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HEALTH.
DOH; KupunAloha Pilot Program; In-Home Care Services; Appropriation ($)
Establishes within the Department of Health a one-year KupunAloha Pilot Program to provide in-home health care and support services to eligible participants who do not otherwise qualify for government assistance for these services. Appropriates funds for the pilot program. Pilot program sunsets 6/30/2027. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1973

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1973

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to health
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that an estimated twenty
‑
five thousand
elderly individuals in Hawaii require in‑home health care or support
services, do not qualify for existing programs, such as medicare, and yet
cannot afford in‑home care services.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
establish the KupunAloha program within the department of health to provide
in-home health care and support services for individuals who do not qualify for
existing government programs and cannot otherwise afford these services.

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is established within the department of health the KupunAloha
program to provide in-home health care and support services for eligible individuals
who do not otherwise qualify for government assistance for these services.
�
In implementing the program, the department shall
create a plan of care for each eligible applicant.
�
The department may refer eligible applicants
to health care providers.
�
The program
may enter into contracts with health care providers to effectuate the purposes
of this Act.
�
The contracts executed
pursuant to this Act shall be subject to chapter 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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Individuals are not eligible for the
program if:

����
(1)
�
The
individual is covered by medicare;

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(2)
�
The
individual does not meet the income requirements for the program established by
the department; or

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(3)
�
The
individual does not meet the need requirements for the program established by
the department.

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SECTION 3.
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The department of health shall submit a report on the effectiveness of
the KupunAloha program established pursuant to this Act to the legislature not
later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2027 regular session.
�
The report shall also include recommendations
to improve the efficiency of the KupunAloha program and whether the program
should be made permanent.

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SECTION 4.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $2,000,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2026-2027 for the KupunAloha program.

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The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

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SECTION 5.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOH; KupunAloha
Program; In-Home Care Services; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
within the Department of Health the KupunAloha program to provide in-home
health care and support services to eligible participants who do not otherwise
qualify for government assistance for these services.
�
Appropriates moneys for the program.

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