RELATING TO AMBULANCES.

Budget Healthcare Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: WOODSON, AMATO, MIYAKE, POEPOE
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's actual effective date is July 1, 2025, not 7/1/3000 as stated in the candidate explanation.

Funding Ambulance Services

This bill appropriates funds to purchase an advanced life support ambulance in central Maui and improve air ambulance services across Hawaii.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates money for the Department of Health to buy one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment for central Maui.
Funds pay-related costs for state-certified emergency medical service workers.
Increases the predictability and stability of available air ambulance services for all islands in Hawaii.

Who It Names or Affects

Residents and visitors in central Maui will benefit from faster ambulance responses.
Emergency medical services personnel will receive funding for their work.
People needing air ambulance services on any island will have more stable access to these services.

Terms To Know

Advanced Life Support Ambulance: An ambulance equipped with advanced medical equipment and staffed by highly trained personnel who can provide critical care during transport.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS): Services provided to patients in emergency situations, including first aid, life support, and transportation to hospitals.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact amount of money being appropriated.
It is unclear how many people will be directly affected by the improved air ambulance services.

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 purchase an advanced life support ambulance and related equipment in central Maui, along with personnel costs, and aims to improve air ambulance services statewide.

Appropriates money for the Department of Health to buy one advanced life support ambulance and necessary equipment for central Maui.
Funds pay-related expenses for emergency medical service staff in central Maui.
Increases predictability and stability of air ambulance services across all islands.

The exact amount of funds appropriated is not specified.
The amendment incorrectly states the effective date as July 1, 3000, which seems to be an error.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-13 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, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-13 H
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 572) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-12 H
The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Chun, Olds; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Marten, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia.
2025-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Wednesday, 02-12-25 11:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to HLT, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO AMBULANCES.
Emergency Medical Services; Advanced Life Support Ambulance; Central Maui; Statewide Air Ambulance Network System; Department of Health; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to purchase of one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in central Maui, fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical services personnel, and increase the predictability and stability of available air ambulance services for all islands in the State. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB905

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

905

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to ambulances
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that it is of
critical concern for the State to ensure its residents have prompt access to
primary health care.
�
The legislature
further finds that in the county of Maui, ambulance services are being provided
through a private contract with American Medical Response with state funding,
and that a total of nine ambulances are based at various state, county, and
private facilities throughout the county -� specifically, one unit each in east
Maui, Kahului, and Wailuku, and two units each in south Maui, west Maui, and upcountry
Maui.

����
The
legislature also finds that there has been significant population growth in central
Maui, and therefore, residents in the area would greatly benefit from the
addition of an advanced life support ambulance.
�

The legislature further finds that an advanced life support ambulance
will help reduce death and disability among residents and visitors to central
Maui by providing timely responses to 911 calls, which is critical to
increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes for injured or sick
individuals.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to:

����
(1)
�
Purchase one advanced life support ambulance
and related equipment to be based in the central Maui area of the county of
Maui and fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical
services personnel; and

����
(2)
�
Increase the predictability and stability of
available air ambulance services for all islands in the State.

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ 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 the purchase of
one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in the central
Maui area of the county of Maui, and to fund pay-related personnel costs for
one state-certified emergency medical technician and one state-certified
paramedic.

����
The sums

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

����
SECTION
3.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ 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 to increase the
predictability and stability of available air ambulance services for all
islands in the State.

����
The sums

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

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Emergency
Medical Services; Advanced Life Support Ambulance; Central Maui; Statewide Air
Ambulance
Network System;
Department
of Health; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Department of Health to purchase
of one advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in
central Maui, fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency
medical services personnel, and increase the predictability and stability of
available air ambulance services for all islands in the State.

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