Hawaii HB2159: Relating to Health Care Workforce Development.

What the bill says

A bill for an act relating to health care workforce development.

From the engrossed text:

A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the university of Hawaii is responsible for training the next generation of doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and public health workers in the State. The legislature further finds that severe shortages in nearly all health profession disciplines and most medical specialties have severely limited access to care, particularly in rural and underserved areas and areas with certain minority and vulnerable populations. These workforce shortages are particularly felt in high-priority areas of concern such as cancer, neurology and dementia, and behavioral health-primary care integration and addiction medicine. The legislature also finds that establishing additional clinical faculty positions in the university of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns school of medicine, university of Hawaii cancer center, university of Hawaii at Manoa school of nursing and dental hygiene, university of Hawaii at Manoa Thompson school of social work and public health, and university of Hawaii at Hilo 2026-1950 HB2159 SDl SMA.docx iiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiii Page 2 H.B. NO. Daniel K. Inouye college of pharmacy will strengthen the ability of the university of Hawaii to address critical workforce shortages by filling key educational, training, and clinicaltranslational research roles. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish and appropriate funds for additional positions in the university of Hawaii to address …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Andrew Garrett (D, 22) · primary sponsor
• Terez Amato (D, 11)
• Della Belatti (D, 26)
• Cory Chun (D, 35)
• Tina Grandinetti (D, 20)
• Greggor Ilagan (D, 4)
• Kim Iwamoto (D, 25)
• Kirstin Kahaloa (D, 6)
• Jeanne Kapela (D, 5)
• Susan Keohokapu-Lee Loy (D, 2)
• Darius Kila (D, 44)
• Sam Kong (D, HD-033)

Latest actions

1. March 30, 2026: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2. March 30, 2026: Reported from EDU/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3390) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
3. March 25, 2026: 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.
4. March 25, 2026: 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.
5. March 20, 2026: The committee(s) on EDU/HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-25-26 1:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
6. March 10, 2026: Referred to EDU/HHS, WAM.
7. March 6, 2026: Passed First Reading.
8. March 6, 2026: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 86).
9. March 5, 2026: Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
10. March 5, 2026: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 807-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.

Votes

• HHS: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 25, 2026): 5 yea, 0 nay, passed
• EDU: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 25, 2026): 3 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1) (March 5, 2026): 49 yea, 1 nay, passed
• FIN: recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED (February 25, 2026): 16 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0) (February 19, 2026): 51 yea, 0 nay, passed
• HLT: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (February 18, 2026): 8 yea, 0 nay, passed

Common questions

What is HB2159?

HB2159 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to Health Care Workforce Development.

What does HB2159 do?

In its own words: A bill for an act relating to health care workforce development.

What is the status of HB2159?

In committee as of March 30, 2026. Latest action: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (March 30, 2026).

Who sponsored HB2159?

Andrew Garrett (D, 22), with 11 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for HB2159?

On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2159&year=2026