HB2605 • 2026

RELATING TO THE ARTS.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: KAPELA, AMATO, BELATTI, GRANDINETTI, HARTSFIELD, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, KUSCH, MARTEN, MORIKAWA, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SHIMIZU, TAM
Last action: 2026-02-12
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).
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 THE ARTS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE ARTS.
Arts and Health; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Specialized Arts Programs; Therapeutic Arts Interventions; Underserved and Neurodiverse Populations; Position; Appropriation ($) Establishes a position within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to support implementation and coordination of specialized arts programs and therapeutic arts interventions for underserved and neurodiverse populations.
Appropriates funds for the position, programs, and interventions.
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: HB2605 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2605 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2605 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ARTS .

Bill History

2026-02-12 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).
2026-02-12 H
Reported from CAA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 246-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on CAA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Kapela, Kong, Garrett, Lee, M.; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama, Reyes Oda.
2026-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CAA on Friday, 02-06-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H
Referred to CAA, FIN, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE ARTS.
Arts and Health; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Specialized Arts Programs; Therapeutic Arts Interventions; Underserved and Neurodiverse Populations; Position; Appropriation ($)
Establishes a position within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to support implementation and coordination of specialized arts programs and therapeutic arts interventions for underserved and neurodiverse populations. Appropriates funds for the position, programs, and interventions. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2605

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2605

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the arts
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that participation
in the arts supports health and well-being by improving emotional regulation,
communication, confidence, and social connection.
�
The legislature further finds that
specialized arts programs and therapeutic arts interventions can provide
meaningful academic, social, and emotional benefits for individuals with
autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other neurodivergent
conditions, particularly in underserved communities where access to supportive
services may be limited.

����
Therefore,
the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the state foundation on
culture and the arts to:

����
(1)
�
Continue and scale arts and health programming
for underserved and neurodiverse populations; and

����
(2)
�
Establish a position within the state
foundation on culture and the arts to support the implementation, coordination,
and sustainability of these programs statewide.

����
SECTION
2.
�
The state foundation on culture and
the arts shall establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to support
implementation and coordination of specialized arts programs and therapeutic
arts interventions for underserved and neurodiverse populations.

����
SECTION
3.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $170,000 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 as follows:

����
(1)
�
$63,452 to continue and scale specialized arts
programs and therapeutic arts interventions tailored to the needs of
individuals with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other
neurodivergent conditions; and

����
(2)
�
$106,548 to establish the position established
in section 2 of this Act.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the state foundation on culture and the arts
for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Arts and
Health; State Foundation on Culture and the Arts; Specialized Arts Programs; Therapeutic
Arts Interventions; Underserved and Neurodiverse Populations; Position; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
a position within the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to support
implementation and coordination of specialized arts programs and therapeutic
arts interventions for underserved and neurodiverse populations.
�
Appropriates funds for the position.

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