HB1976 • 2026

RELATING TO DEMENTIA.

Healthcare

Active

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

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: 2026-05-01
Official status: Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:30PM in Conference Room 329.
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 DEMENTIA.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO DEMENTIA.
DOH; HIEMA; Dementia; Alzheimer's Disease; First Responder Training; Executive Office on Aging; Counties; Law Enforcement Standards Board Requires the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, fire chiefs, Law Enforcement Standards Board, and Department of Health to make available at least one hour of dementia‑specific training for first responders, including law enforcement officers, fire first responders, and emergency medical services personnel.
Requires the Executive Office on Aging to take certain steps when reviewing and recommending dementia-specific training curricula.
Effective 7/1/3000.

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.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB1976 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1976 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1976 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEMENTIA .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB1976 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB1976 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
1976 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

Bill History

2026-05-01 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 05-01-26 at 5:30PM in Conference Room 329.
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; Fukunaga, Moriwaki Co-Chairs.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Takayama, Belatti, Keohokapu-Lee Loy Co-Chairs; Garcia.
2026-04-16 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 599).
2026-04-14 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2026-04-10 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 542) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-04-10 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-09 S
One Day Notice 04-10-26.
2026-04-09 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3629) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Richards, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..
2026-04-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-07-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from HHS/PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3307) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Hashimoto, Inouye, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-23 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-17 S
The committee(s) on HHS/PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 2:45PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to HHS/PSM, WAM.
2026-03-10 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-10 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 174).
2026-03-06 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso, Quinlan, Sayama excused (3). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 975-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-04 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 03-04-26 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 H
Report adopted; 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 PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 395-26), recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-11 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-11-26 8:40AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-06 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-06 H
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 48-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS.
2026-02-04 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.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Wednesday, 02-04-26 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to HLT, PBS, FIN, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO DEMENTIA.
DOH; HIEMA; Dementia; Alzheimer's Disease; First Responder Training; Executive Office on Aging; Counties; Law Enforcement Standards Board
Requires the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, fire chiefs, Law Enforcement Standards Board, and Department of Health to make available at least one hour of dementia‑specific training for first responders, including law enforcement officers, fire first responders, and emergency medical services personnel. Requires the Executive Office on Aging to take certain steps when reviewing and recommending dementia-specific training curricula. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1976

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1976

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO DEMENTIA
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that Alzheimer's
disease and related dementias are an urgent and growing public health challenge
in Hawaii.
�
Between 2020 and 2025, the
number of Hawaii residents living with Alzheimer's disease is estimated to have
increased by 20.7 per cent.
�
Approximately
31,200 Hawaii residents aged sixty-five years or older currently live with
Alzheimer's.
�
Long-term trends indicate
that this figure could double to approximately sixty-two thousand individuals
by 2050.

����
This
significant growth in the number of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease
is expected to increase emergency department utilization, hospital
readmissions, and overall health care costs.
�

Data show that individuals having dementia experience 1,248 emergency
department visits per one thousand persons annually, reflecting a high rate of
re-admittance and frequent interaction with emergency medical services
personnel.

����
The
legislature further finds that six in ten people living with dementia will
wander, often repeatedly, and may forget their name or address or become
disoriented even in familiar places.
�

When individuals with dementia are lost, they may exhibit anxiety, fear,
or hostility, which may escalate into aggressive behaviors.
�
As the disease progresses and societal norms
are forgotten, incidents may include filing false police reports,
victimization, indecent exposure, and shoplifting.
�
People with Alzheimer's disease may appear
uncooperative, disruptive, or combative if they have difficulty communicating
and understanding what is happening.
�

First responders often lack the training needed to effectively assist
these individuals, which may lead to confusion and unnecessary escalation.

����
The
legislature further finds that police, emergency medical services, and fire department
personnel are frequently the first responders who encounter wandering
individuals or respond to dementia-related incidents.
�
In particular, fire department personnel are
often the first on scene for medical emergencies and fires and may need to
rescue individuals living with dementia who are uncooperative or disoriented.
�
The importance of managing these situations appropriately
will become even more critical as Hawaii experiences an increase in the
frequency and intensity of wildfires that require rapid evacuations and
specialized communication strategies for vulnerable populations.

����
The
legislature finds that dementia-specific training for first responders is cost
effective and readily available.
�
For
example, the Alzheimer's Association offers free, one-hour online trainings for
first responders.
�
The Hawaii chapter of
the Alzheimer's Association has partnered with the Honolulu police department
to provide in-person dementia training to new recruits at no cost.
�
These resources enable agencies to build
dementia capability without additional appropriations.

����
The
legislature further finds that evidence-based dementia training improves
recognition, communication, and de-escalation skills, reducing preventable hospitalizations,
emergency interventions, and crises, while strengthening community safety and
resilience.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to require annual dementia-specific training for all
first responders in Hawaii and to ensure that training content addresses
recognition, assessment, and communication; abuse and neglect identification;
caregiver engagement; disaster response; and safe return.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�127A-
��

��
Dementia-specific
training.
�
(a)
�

The director or the director's designee shall review the
list of dementia‑specific training options recommended by the executive
office on aging pursuant to section 349- and
provide at least one hour of dementia‑specific training from that list to
agency personnel.
�
The dementia‑specific
training offered shall be accessible at no cost to the agency personnel.
�
The director or the director's designee shall
begin offering dementia‑specific training to agency personnel by January
1, 2027.

����
(b)
�
All agency personnel shall complete a minimum
of one hour of dementia-specific training annually.
�
The first annual training cycle shall be
completed by December 31, 2027.

����
(c)
�
The dementia-specific training provided under
this section shall not create or impose any civil or criminal liability upon
any agency personnel, agency, or department.

����
(d)
�
For purposes of this section, "dementia-specific
training" means training curricula recommended by the executive office on
aging for the purpose of first responder training pursuant to section
349- .
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
Chapter 132, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:

����
"
�132-
��

��
Dementia-specific
training.
�
(a)
�

Each county f
ire chief and the fire chief of the Hawaii state
aircraft rescue fire fighting unit, or the respective fire chief's designee, shall
review the list of dementia‑specific training options recommended by the
executive office on aging pursuant to section
349- and provide at least one hour of dementia‑specific
training from that list to fire first responders within the fire chief's
department or unit.
�
The dementia‑specific
training shall be accessible at no cost to the fire first responders.
�
Each respective chief shall begin offering dementia‑specific
training to fire first responders by January 1, 2027.

����
(b)
�
All fire first
responders within the State and counties shall complete a minimum of one hour
of dementia‑specific training annually.
�
The first annual training cycle shall be
completed by December 31, 2027.

����
(c)
�
The dementia‑specific training provided
under this section shall not create or impose any civil or criminal liability
upon any fire first responder personnel, agency, or department.

����
(d)
�
For purposes of this section:

����
"Dementia-specific
training" means training curricula recommended by the executive office on aging
for the purpose of first responder training pursuant to section
349- .

����
"Fire
first responders" means first responder personnel employed by state and county
fire protection agencies and departments.
"

����
SECTION
4.
�
Chapter 139, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:

����
"
�139-
��

��
Dementia training.
�
(a)
�
T
he board or the board's designee
shall review the list of dementia‑specific training options recommended
by the executive office on aging pursuant to section
349- and require at least one hour of dementia‑specific
training from that list to be provided to law enforcement officers.
�
The dementia‑specific training shall be
accessible at no cost to the law enforcement officers.
�
The board shall require law enforcement
agencies to begin offering dementia‑specific training to law enforcement
officers by January 1, 2027.

����
(b)
�
All law enforcement officers within the State
and counties shall complete a minimum of one hour of dementia‑specific training
annually.
�
The first annual training
cycle shall be completed by December 31, 2027.

����
(c)
�
The dementia‑specific training provided
under this section shall not create or impose any civil or criminal liability
upon any law enforcement officer, agency, or department.

����
SECTION
5.
�
Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to part XVIII to be appropriately designated
and to read as follows:

����
"
�321-
��

��
Dementia-specific
training.
�
(a)
�
The director of health or the director's designee
shall review the list of dementia‑specific training options recommended
by the executive office on aging pursuant to section
349- and provide at least one hour of dementia‑specific
training from that list to emergency medical services personnel and first
responder personnel.
�
The dementia‑specific
training shall be accessible at no cost to the emergency medical services
personnel and first responder personnel.
�

The director of health or the director's designee shall begin offering dementia‑specific
training to emergency medical services personnel and first responder personnel
by January 1, 2027.

����
(b)
�
All emergency medical services personnel and
first responder personnel shall complete a minimum of one hour of
dementia-specific training annually.
�
The
first annual training cycle shall be completed by December 31, 2027.

����
(c)
�
The dementia‑specific training provided
under this section shall not create or impose any civil or criminal liability
upon any emergency medical services personnel, first responder personnel,
employer, agency, or department.

����
(d)
�
For purposes of this section, "dementia-specific
training" means training curricula recommended by the executive office on aging
for the purpose of first responder training pursuant to section
349- .
"

����
SECTION
6.
�
Chapter 349, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�349-
��

��
Dementia-specific first
responder training curriculum content review.
�
(a)
�
The executive office on aging or the office's
designee shall
review and recommend dementia‑specific training
curricula for agencies that employ first responders to ensure statewide
consistency and alignment with best practices.
�

The dementia‑specific training curricula shall address the
recognition of and response to persons having Alzheimer's disease and related
types of dementia.
�
The executive office
on aging shall make available a list of recommended dementia‑specific training
curricula options that meet the requirements of this section.

����
(b)
�
The executive office on aging shall seek low-
to no‑cost dementia‑specific training curricula from nonprofit
organizations in addition to any fee-based dementia‑specific training
curricula.
�
To the extent possible, at
least one of the recommended dementia‑specific training curricula shall be
available to first responders at no charge.
�
If available, the no-cost dementia‑specific
training curricula shall be funded by private contributions from relevant
non-profit organizations.

����
(c)
�
The dementia‑specific training
curricula shall include:

����
(1)
�
Strategies for recognizing key signs
of Alzheimer's disease and related types of dementia;

����
(2)
�
Strategies for assessing cognition;

����
(3)
�
Best practices for interacting with
persons having Alzheimer's disease or related types of dementia, including
during disaster response;

����
(4)
�
Strategies to identify and intervene
in situations in which persons having Alzheimer's disease or related types of
dementia may be at risk of abuse or neglect; and

����
(5)
�
Best practices to ensure the safe
return of persons having Alzheimer's disease or related types of dementia.

����
(d)
�
All dementia‑specific training
curricula recommended by the executive office on aging shall include at least
one hour of instruction time.

����
(e)
�
The executive office on aging may coordinate
with other agencies to review and recommend dementia‑specific training
curricula developed by a first responder department or agency.

����
(f)
�
The executive office on aging may use educational
and training resources made available in the public and private sectors to
develop dementia‑specific training curricula that meet the requirements
of this section.
"

����
SECTION

7
.
�
Section
321-229.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

����
["
[
�321-229.2]
�
First responder personnel; dementia training.
�

(a)
�
The employers of
first
responder personnel
may obtain dementia
training for
first responder personnel
, which may include:

����
(1)
�
Recognizing the key signs of
Alzheimer's disease and related types of dementia;

����
(2)
�
Strategies for assessing cognition;

����
(3)
�
Best practices for interacting with
persons with Alzheimer's disease and related types of dementia; and

����
(4)
�
Strategies to best identify and
intervene in situations where persons with Alzheimer's disease and related
types of dementia may be at particular risk of abuse or neglect.

����
(b)
�
The training shall be offered
at no cost to the applicable
first responder personnel
and shall be funded by private contributions
from relevant non-profit organizations.

����
(c)
�
The executive office on aging
may coordinate the training schedules and standards, as necessary, with all
public and private entities and agencies responsible for services provided by
first
responder personnel
, including entering
into agreements or memoranda of agreement with nonprofit organizations to
provide funding pursuant to subsection (b).

����
(d)
�
The employers of
first
responder personnel
may utilize
existing educational and training resources available in the public and private
sectors when developing the training required under this section.
"]

����
SECTION
8.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
9.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED
BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Dementia;
Alzheimer's Disease; First Responder Training; Executive Office on Aging;
HIEMA; Counties; Law Enforcement Standards Board; DOH

Description:

Requires
the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, fire chiefs, Law Enforcement Standards
Board, and Department of Health to provide or require the provision of at least
1 hour of dementia‑specific training for first responders, including law
enforcement officers, fire first responders, and emergency medical services
personnel.
�
Requires the Executive Office
on Aging to review and recommend dementia-specific training curricula that
address the recognition and signs of Alzheimer's disease and related types of dementia.

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