HB827 • 2026

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL BENEFITS.

Healthcare Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: MIYAKE, AMATO, EVSLIN, GARCIA, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, HUSSEY, KAHALOA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, LAMOSAO, LEE, M., LOWEN, MARTEN, MATSUMOTO, MORIKAWA, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, SOUZA, TAKENOUCHI, TARNAS, TODD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text specifies conditions under which an employer may deny medical benefits, but this detail is removed as it does not align with the candidate's summary and requires further clarification from official sources.

Expanding Workers' Compensation Medical Benefits for Firefighters

This bill expands the types of cancers covered under workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters in Hawaii.

What This Bill Does

Adds adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system to the list of cancers covered by workers' compensation for firefighters.
Includes cancer of the buccal cavity, colon, pharynx, and thyroid under workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters.
Covers malignant melanoma as a condition eligible for workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters.

Who It Names or Affects

Firefighters in Hawaii who have worked for five or more years and are diagnosed with covered cancers.
Employers of firefighters, as they may be required to provide medical benefits under certain conditions.

Terms To Know

adenocarcinoma: a type of cancer that starts in gland cells
mesothelioma: cancer affecting the lining of organs, often linked to asbestos exposure

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify when it will take effect; however, it is currently active and awaiting further action.
It only applies to firefighters who have worked for at least five years.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment expands workers' compensation medical benefits to cover more types of cancer for firefighters with at least five years of service.

Adds adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system, cancer of the buccal cavity, colon, pharynx, and thyroid, and malignant melanoma to the list of covered cancers.
Specifies that employers can deny medical benefits if they prove the cancer was not related to firefighting duties.

The effective date is set for July 1, 3000, which seems unrealistic and might be a placeholder or error in the text.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-12 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Sayama, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-12 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 473) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-06 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.
2025-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Thursday, 02-06-25 9:00AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION MEDICAL BENEFITS.
Firefighters; Workers' Compensation Medical Benefits; Cancer
Expands workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters to include coverage for adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system; cancer of the buccal cavity, colon, pharynx, and thyroid; and malignant melanoma. Specifies that an employer may prove that the cancer or disease was not associated with the firefighting duties to deny medical benefits under workers' compensation law. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB827

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

827

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to workers' compensation medical benefits
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 386-21.9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�386-21.9
�
Medical
care, services, and supplies for firefighters suffering from cancer.
�
(a)
�

If a claim for [
leukemia, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or
cancer of the lung, brain, stomach, esophagus, intestines, rectum, kidney,
bladder, prostate, breast, female reproductive organs, or testes
]
any
form of the covered cancers or diseases under subsection (a)
filed by an
employee with five or more years of service as a firefighter is accepted or
determined to be compensable, section 386-21 shall remain applicable[
;
]
,
unless the employer proves that the cancer or disease was not associated with
the firefighting duties;
provided that the employer shall be liable for
medical care, services, and supplies for a minimum of one hundred ten per cent,
and not to exceed one hundred fifty per cent of fees prescribed in the Medicare
Resource Based Relative Value Scale applicable to Hawaii as prepared by the
United States Department of Health and Human Services.

����
(b)
�
The following cancers or diseases shall be
covered under this section:

����
(1)
�
Adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the
respiratory system;

����
(2)
�
Cancer of the bladder, brain, breast,
buccal cavity, colon, esophagus, intestines, kidney, lung, pharynx, prostate,
rectum, female reproductive organs, stomach, testes, or thyroid;

����
(3)
�
Leukemia;

����
(4)
�
Malignant melanoma;

����
(5)
�
Multiple myeloma; or

����
(6)
�
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Firefighters;
Workers' Compensation Medical Benefits; Cancer

Description:

Expands
workers' compensation medical benefits for firefighters to include coverage for
adenocarcinoma or mesothelioma of the respiratory system; cancer of the buccal
cavity, colon, pharynx, and thyroid; and malignant melanoma.
�
Specifies that an employer may prove that the
cancer or disease was not associated with the firefighting duties to deny
medical benefits under workers' compensation law.

The summary description
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.