SB2861 • 2026

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE.

Children

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA, CHANG, HASHIMOTO
Last action: 2026-05-08
Official status: Enrolled to Governor.
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 THE OFFICE OF WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE.
OWR; DHS; Comprehensive Plan; Kakou Pilot Program; Families and Children in Need; Eligible Families; Administering Agency; TANF Requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to develop a comprehensive plan by 6/30/2027 for the establishment of a Kakou Pilot Program to support families and children in need.
Requires the Office to submit preliminary and final reports to the Legislature on the plan and identify an administering agency or agencies for the pilot program.
Beginning 7/1/2028, authorizes the Department of Human Services to expend Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program funds for the purposes of the Kakou Pilot Program.

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.

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: SB2861 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2861 CD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2861 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2861 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2861 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2861 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: SB2861 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2861 HD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2861 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2861 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2861 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2861 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE .

SD2

Hawaii published version SD2

Plain English: SB2861 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2861 SD2 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2861 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE .

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Enrolled to Governor.
2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia voting no (2) and Representative(s) Alcos excused (1).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none).
2026-05-01 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 199-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-05-01 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
2026-05-01 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 199-26).
2026-05-01 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Hartsfield, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-05-01 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
2026-05-01 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 883).
2026-04-30 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Friday, 05-01-26 2:35PM in conference room 329.
2026-04-30 H
House Conferees Appointed: Marten, Hartsfield Co-Chairs; Alcos.
2026-04-27 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 779).
2026-04-27 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: San Buenaventura Chair; Kanuha Co-Chair; Fevella.
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. 709).
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. 2094-26) 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.
2026-03-30 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, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
2026-03-30 H
Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1507-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-03-24 H
The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-20 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Tuesday, 03-24-26 10:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to HSH, FIN, referral sheet 15
2026-03-06 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-05 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 28) in amended form (SD 2).
2026-03-05 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Ihara). Transmitted to House.
2026-02-25 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-05-26.
2026-02-25 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2717) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
2026-02-19 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Richards.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-11 S
Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2194) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-02 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-02-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Referred to HHS, WAM.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE.
OWR; DHS; Comprehensive Plan; Kakou Pilot Program; Families and Children in Need; Eligible Families; Administering Agency; TANF
Requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to develop a comprehensive plan by 6/30/2027 for the establishment of a Kakou Pilot Program to support families and children in need. Requires the Office to submit preliminary and final reports to the Legislature on the plan and identify an administering agency or agencies for the pilot program. Beginning 7/1/2028, authorizes the Department of Human Services to expend Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program funds for the purposes of the Kakou Pilot Program. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2861

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2861

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to the Office of Wellness and Resilience
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that the State has accumulated an estimated $470,000,000 in
unspent temporary assistance for needy families funding with approximately
$333,000,000 in encumbrances on that funding.
�

These moneys are required to be spent on needy families and families
that are especially susceptible to charges of neglect for failure to provide
shelter, supervision, and other necessities for their children.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to utilize
some of the unspent and unencumbered federal assistance moneys to establish
within the office of wellness and resilience a kakou pilot program to support families
and children in need.

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SECTION 2.
�

(a)
�
There is established within
the office of wellness and resilience the kakou pilot program to support
families in need.

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(b)
�

The kakou pilot program shall:

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(1)
�
Provide
services for children in need, including child wellness visits;

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(2)
�
Distribute
food boxes to eligible families, as needed;

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(3)
�
Provide
counseling and related support services to eligible families with a focus on families
exiting a foster family placement;

����
(4)
�
Administer
trauma-informed care services to vulnerable families and children in danger of
neglect; and

����
(5)
�
Provide
any other related services to support families and children in need in
accordance with this Act.

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(c)
�

The office of wellness and resilience may adopt policies and procedures
necessary to implement the kakou pilot program and to carry out the purposes of
this Act.

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(d)
�

The office of wellness and resilience shall submit a report of its
findings and recommendations on the kakou pilot program, including any proposed
legislation and recommendations on whether the program should continue, to the
legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular
session of
2027.

����
(e)
�
The kakou pilot program shall cease to exist
on
��
��
����
.

����
(f)
�

For the purposes of this Act:

����
"Eligible families" means families
receiving support from the temporary assistance for needy families program, and
any other families meeting standards and requirements established by the office
of wellness and resilience.

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SECTION 3.
�

Act 127, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, is amended by amending section 1 as
follows:

����
1.
�
By
amending subsection (b) to read:

����
"(b)
�

The pilot program shall pay $50 to each [
state medicaid benefit
]
eligible

recipient for each completed
well‑child
examination
of that recipient parent's child; provided that only one
payment may be made per child each year."

����
2.
�

By amending subsection (e) by adding a new definition to be
appropriately inserted and to read:

����
"
"Eligible recipient"
means a parent receiving support from the temporary assistance for needy
families program, and any other parent meeting standards and requirements
established by the office of wellness and resilience.
"

����
SECTION 4.
�

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

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SECTION 5.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval, and shall be repealed
on
����������
.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

OWR;
Kakou Pilot Program; TANF; Child Wellness Visits; Food Boxes; Supportive
Services; Wellness Benefit; Foster Family Placement; Med-QUEST

Description:

Establishes
within the Office of Wellness and Resilience the Kakou Pilot Program
to
support families and children in need.
�

Expands eligibility for the $50 benefit established by Act 127, Session
Laws of Hawaii 2022, to include families ineligible for state Medicaid
benefits.

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