Hawaii legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii SB709: Relating to Mental Health.
Status: Passed one chamber, April 16, 2026
Requires the Department of Health to track and publicly report certain data relating to crisis reports, emergency mental health transports, and court-ordered treatments. Requires DOH to respond to reports about persons having severe mental illness who are in need of assistance, assess whether those persons fulfill criteria for assisted community treatment, and coordinate the process for an assisted community treatment order if indicated. Establishes that a court's denial of a petition for involuntary commitment shall serve as notification to DOH that the subject of the petition should be evaluated for assisted community treatment. Appropriates moneys.
What the bill says
A bill for an act relating to mental health.
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH. SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State has several tools and programs to assist individuals who have untreated severe mental illnesses, including court-ordered plans of treatment, known in Hawaii as "assisted community treatment" orders; involuntary commitments to the state hospital or a similar facility; court-ordered medication; and department of health crises programs. The legislature further finds that there are areas for improvement in these programs, especially as available resources and needs change over time. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to update and clarify laws governing mental crisis intervention by: (1) Requiring the department of health, or a contracted service provider, to review reports of a person having severe mental illness who needs assistance; assess whether the person fulfills the criteria for assisted community treatment; and, if the person meets the SB709 SD2 LRB 26-0989.docx IBIIIIIIIHHIH1IMIII Page 2 S.B. NO. S.D. criteria, coordinate the process for an assisted community treatment order; (2) Requiring the director of law enforcement to adopt rules establishing training and certification standards and procedures for crisis intervention officers; (3) Establishing that a court's denial of a petition for involuntary commitment shall serve as notification to the department of health that the person who was the subject of the petition should be evaluated for assisted community …
Sponsors
- Joy San Buenaventura (D, 2) · primary sponsor
- Henry Aquino (D, 19)
- Stanley Chang (D, 9)
- Kurt Fevella (R, 20)
- Troy Hashimoto (D, 5)
- Dru Kanuha (D, 3)
- Angus McKelvey (D, 6)
- Sharon Moriwaki (D, 12)
- Karl Rhoads (D, 13)
- Carol Fukunaga (D, 11)
Latest actions
- : Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
- : Senate disagrees with House amendments.
- : Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 605).
- : Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Alcos, Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
- : Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
- : Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2125-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
- : The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Sayama, Cochran.
- : Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 04-08-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- : Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Matsumoto, Perruso excused (2).
- : Reported from HSH/HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1432-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
Votes
- Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Alcos, Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1) (April 14, 2026): 49 yea, 1 nay, passed
- JHA: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (April 8, 2026): 8 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s (March 25, 2026): 47 yea, 2 nay, passed
- HSH: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 19, 2026): 8 yea, 1 nay, passed
- HLT: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 19, 2026): 8 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2) (March 10, 2026): 25 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Report, Penalties, Rules, DOH, Mental Health
Common questions
- What is SB709?
- SB709 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to Mental Health.
- What does SB709 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act relating to mental health.
- What is the status of SB709?
- Passed one chamber as of April 16, 2026. Latest action: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710). (April 16, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB709?
- Joy San Buenaventura (D, 2), with 9 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB709?
- On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=709&year=2026
Source: official Hawaii record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.