SB2465 • 2026

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.

Active

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Sponsor: RHOADS, KANUHA
Last action: 2026-01-28
Official status: Referred to HHS, WAM/JDC.
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.

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.

What This Bill Does

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.
Constitutional Amendment; Affordable Health Care; Fundamental Right (ConAm) Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to establish access to affordable health care as a fundamental right, subject to limitations balancing other essential public services.

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.

Bill History

2026-01-28 S
Referred to HHS, WAM/JDC.
2026-01-22 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-22 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.
Constitutional Amendment; Affordable Health Care; Fundamental Right (ConAm)
Proposes an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to establish access to affordable health care as a fundamental right, subject to limitations balancing other essential public services.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2465

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2465

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

PROPOSING
AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ESTABLISH
access to HEALTH CARE As a FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Article I of the Constitution of the State of
Hawaii is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
read as follows:

"
RIGHT
TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE

����
Section .
�
It shall be the obligation of the State to
ensure that every resident of the State has access to cost-effective,
clinically appropriate and affordable health care as a fundamental right.
�
This obligation shall be balanced against the
public interest in funding public schools and other essential public services.
�
Any remedy arising from an action to enforce
this section shall not interfere with the balance described in this section.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
The question to be printed on the
ballot shall be as follows:

����
"Shall
the Constitution of the State of Hawaii be amended to make it the obligation of
the State to ensure that every resident of Hawaii has access to cost-effective,
clinically appropriate, and affordable health care as a fundamental right;
provided that this obligation is balanced against the public interest in
funding public schools and other essential public services, and that any remedy
to enforce this obligation shall not interfere with this balance?"

����
SECTION
3.
�
New constitutional material is
underscored.

����
SECTION
4.
�
This amendment shall take effect upon
compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of
Hawaii.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Constitutional
Amendment; Affordable Health Care; Fundamental Right

Description:

Proposes
an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to establish access to affordable
health care as a fundamental right, subject to limitations balancing other
essential public services.

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