HB714 • 2026

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

Budget Education Healthcare Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: TAKAYAMA, AMATO, BELATTI, CHUN, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, HASHEM, IWAMOTO, KAPELA, LOWEN, MARTEN, OLDS, PERRUSO, SAYAMA, SOUZA, TAKENOUCHI, TAM, TODD, WARD
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify exact amounts for each part of the initiative, only that $1.45 million is appropriated for two fiscal years.

Health Care Workforce Development Funding

This bill provides funding to support health care training programs in public high schools and at the University of Hawaii, aiming to expand the state's health care workforce.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates $1.45 million for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to support educational programs that expand the State's health care workforce.
Funds public high school health care certification programs, including classroom renovations and equipment upgrades.
Supports the University of Hawaii in providing education programs that help certified nurse assistants become licensed practical nurses.

Who It Names or Affects

Public high schools offering health care certificate programs
The University of Hawaii
Certified nurse assistants looking to advance their careers

Terms To Know

Healthcare Workforce Initiative: A program aimed at addressing the shortage of healthcare workers in Hawaii.
CNA+ to LPN glidepath program: An educational program that helps certified nurse assistants become licensed practical nurses while they continue working full-time.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be allocated for each part of the initiative.
It is unclear if this funding will fully address Hawaii's health care workforce shortage.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment appropriates funds to support health care certification programs in public high schools and education programs that help certified nurse assistants become licensed practical nurses.

Appropriates money for health care certificate programs in public high schools, including classroom renovations.
Provides funding for programs that assist certified nurse assistants in becoming licensed practical nurses.

The exact amount of funds appropriated is not specified and needs to be determined later.
The effective date mentioned (July 1, 3000) appears incorrect and likely requires correction.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment allocates funds to support health care certification programs in public high schools and education programs that help certified nurse assistants become licensed practical nurses.

Appropriates money for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to fund health care certification programs in public high schools.
Allocates funds for educational programs that assist certified nurse aides in becoming licensed practical nurses.

The exact amount of money appropriated is not specified in the amendment text.
The amendment takes effect on December 31, 2050, which seems unusually far into the future and may be a placeholder or error.

Bill History

2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-21 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 755).
2025-04-17 H
House Conferees Appointed: Takayama, La Chica, Ilagan, Keohokapu-Lee Loy Co-Chairs; Garcia.
2025-04-08 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 559).
2025-04-04 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2025-04-03 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 551) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-04-03 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-04-02 S
One Day Notice 04-03-25.
2025-04-02 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1521) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2025-03-28 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, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lee, C..
2025-03-25 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-28-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-03-21 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2025-03-21 S
Reported from HHS/EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1325) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2025-03-19 S
The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Kim; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga, Awa.
2025-03-19 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, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2025-03-12 S
The committee(s) on HHS/EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 03-19-25 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025-03-04 S
Referred to HHS/EDT, WAM.
2025-03-04 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-04 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 122).
2025-02-28 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 952), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-21 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Holt, Lee, M., Alcos, Ward.
2025-02-19 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Friday, 02-21-25 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-14 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from EDN/ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 751), recommending referral to FIN.
2025-02-13 H
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Matsumoto.
2025-02-13 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2025-02-11 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN/ECD on Thursday, 02-13-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-05 H
Re-referred to HLT, EDN/ECD, FIN, referral sheet 12
2025-02-04 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HED/EDN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-04 H
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 66) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HED/EDN.
2025-01-31 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; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2025-01-29 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Friday, 01-31-25 9:15AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to HLT, HED/EDN, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
DBEDT; Education; Health Care Workforce; Appropriations ($)
Appropriates funds to support educational training programs to expand the State's health care workforce, including funding to support health care certification programs offered in public high schools and education programs that support certified nurse assistants in becoming licensed practical nurses. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB714

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

714

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to Health care Workforce Development
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that current efforts to address the health care workforce
shortage have been successful.
�
However,
it has also become clear that the needs of the rapidly aging population are
contributing to increased demand for workers throughout the health care
field.
�
The
2024 Healthcare Workforce
Initiative
survey from the
Healthcare Association of Hawaii
found that there are nearly four thousand
seven hundred openings for non-physician, patient-facing positions in
hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and other health care facilities in the
State.
�

����
The legislature recognizes the urgent need
to address Hawaii's health care workforce shortages due to increasing demand
for health care services across the State.
�

The Hawaii Healthcare Workforce Initiative, coordinated by the Healthcare
Association of Hawaii, has played a crucial role in mitigating this issue
through various workforce development programs.
�

Two key program types are the public high school health care certificate
programs and the certified nurse assistant (CNA) to licensed practical nurse
(LPN) glidepath program.
�
Both programs
aim to strengthen Hawaii's health care system by preparing new health care
workers to enter the workforce and supporting the career advancement of
existing workers.

����
The public high school health care
certificate programs are designed to provide students with the training and
skills necessary to enter health care positions immediately after
graduation.
�
These programs address the
significant shortage of entry-level health care workers in Hawaii and offer
students a pathway to careers that pay a living wage and provide opportunities
for further professional development.
�
By
covering the costs of tuition, transportation, and work uniforms, and offering
career coaching and counseling, the programs help to remove barriers to entry into
the health care workforce.
�
It is
estimated that these programs can assist approximately one hundred and fifty
students per year, with an average cost of $4,300 per student.

����
The CNA+ to LPN glidepath program offers a
critical career advancement opportunity for CNAs already working in health care.
�
This program follows an
"earn-and-learn" model, allowing CNAs to continue working full-time
while pursuing licensure as LPNs.
�
The
glidepath program provides essential services such as tuition assistance,
transportation, food stipends, counseling, and career advice.
�
The legislature recognizes that LPNs are in
particularly high demand in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and
other long-term care settings, making this program an important tool for
retaining and advancing health care workers in these essential roles.
�
Healthcare Association of Hawaii's glidepath
program supports approximately forty participants per year.

����
The legislature further finds that health care
employers have invested heavily in these programs.
�
Employers have provided clinicians to teach some
of the courses and invested in hands-on training opportunities for students to
enable them to learn in a real-life setting.
�

Employers have also often awarded stipends to students, especially in
the glidepath program, to ensure participants are compensated as if working
full-time.
�
Other entities, such as the Healthcare
Association of Hawaii, have also provided significant staffing resources to
recruit students, coordinate programs, and raise federal, state, and private funds
to maintain these vital programs.

����
The legislature acknowledges that both of
these programs are crucial in addressing Hawaii's health care workforce needs.
�
A 2022 survey by the Healthcare Workforce
Initiative found that more than 1,500 existing health care job openings could
be filled by graduates of the high school certificate programs or CNAs who
advance to LPNs through a glidepath program.
�

Despite their current success, these programs must be continuously supported
and scaled up to meet the ever-increasing health care needs of Hawaii's people.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
appropriate funds to support educational programs that expand the State's
health care workforce.
�

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $1,450,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
year 2026-2027 for educational programs to expand the State's health care
workforce to be allocated as follows:

����
(1)
�
$
to be expended by the department of education to:

���������
(A)
�
Support
health care certification programs offered in public high schools; and

���������
(B)
�
Renovate
and equip public high school classrooms to make them more suitable for health
care training; and

����
(2)
�
$
to be expended by the university of Hawaii for education programs that support
certified nurse aides in obtaining licensure as licensed practical nurses.

����
SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOE; UH; Education;
Health Care Workforce; Appropriations

Description:

Appropriates
funds to support educational training programs to expand the State's health
care workforce.
�
Allocates funds to the
Department of Education for health care certificate programs and classroom
renovations for health care training in public high schools.
�
Allocates funds to the University of Hawaii
for education programs that support certified nurse assistants in becoming
licensed practical nurses.

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