SB2261 • 2026

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: DECOITE, KIDANI, Kanuha, Kim
Last action: 2026-04-21
Official status: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 718).
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 HEALTH.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO HEALTH.
Huli Au Ola; Physician and Dentist Retention; Molokai; Study; Grant; Report; Appropriation ($) Requires Huli Au Ola to conduct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and retention to be located on and serve the island of Molokai.
Requires a report to the Legislature.
Appropriates funds.

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: SB2261 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2261 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2261 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2261 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2261 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2261 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2261 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2261 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2261 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH .

Bill History

2026-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 718).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Kim Chair; Kidani Co-Chair; DeCorte.
2026-04-16 H
Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
2026-04-16 S
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
2026-04-16 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 640).
2026-04-14 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-04-10 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2103-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-07 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 04-07-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-24 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) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2).
2026-03-24 H
Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1349-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-03-20 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; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Friday, 03-20-26 9:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to HLT, FIN, referral sheet 16
2026-03-10 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-06 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 45) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-06 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-05 S
One Day Notice 03-06-26.
2026-03-05 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2860) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 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, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2026-02-27 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:17AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2578) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-18 S
The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 1:02PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to EDU, WAM.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-15 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HEALTH.
Huli Au Ola; Physician and Dentist Retention; Molokai; Study; Grant; Report; Appropriation ($)
Requires Huli Au Ola to conduct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and retention to be located on and serve the island of Molokai. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2261

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2261

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Huli Au Ola,
Maui county area health education center, provides support and assistance to underserved
and rural areas of Maui county.
�
The
island of Molokai is the area most underserved by non-primary care physicians
and dentists.
�
The retention of
physicians and dentists is critical to the Molokai community of approximately
seven thousand residents.
�
With only one
airline serving the island of Molokai, the lack of medical professionals on
Molokai is critical.
�
Many Molokai
residents cannot afford to travel to seek medical and dental care.
�
Although telehealth is available for most
community members, more serious conditions require an in-person visit with a
medical professional.

����
The purpose of this
Act is to require Huli Au Ola to conduct a study on the recruitment and
retention of physicians and dentists to be located on and serve the island of
Molokai.

����
SECTION 2.
�
(a)
�

Huli Au Ola shall conduct a study on the recruitment and retention of
physicians and dentists to serve the island of Molokai.

����
(b)
�
The study shall include information related
to:

����
(1)
�
Recruitment;

����
(2)
�
Retention;

����
(3)
�
Housing availability;

����
(4)
�
Transportation availability;

����
(5)
�
Airline availability;

����
(6)
�
Partnerships;

����
(7)
�
Communication; and

����
(8)
�
Evaluation process.

����
SECTION 3.
�
Huli Au Ola shall submit a report of its
findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the
legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular
session of 2027.

����
SECTION 4.
�
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 2026-2027 as a grant
pursuant to chapter 42F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to Huli
Au
Ola to study the recruitment and retention of physicians and dentists to serve
the island of Molokai.

����
The
sum appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii John A. Burns
school of medicine for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Huli Au
Ola; Physician and Dentist Retention; Molokai; Study; Grant; Appropriation

Description:

Requires
Huli Au Ola to conduct a study on physician and dentist recruitment and
retention to serve the island of Molokai.
�

Appropriates funds.
�
Effective
7/1/2026.

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