Hawaii legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii SB952: Relating to Child Welfare Services.
Status: Failed, April 2, 2026
Requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience to design, implement, and administer a two-year Child Welfare System Diversion and Intervention Pilot Program to support families and children involved, at risk of involvement, or at risk of reinvolvement with child welfare services. Allows the office to contract with public and private entities to provide necessary services. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
What the bill says
A bill for an act relating to child welfare services.
From the engrossed text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE SERVICES. SECTION 1. The legislature finds that more initiatives must be established to address the unmet needs of children and families in the State's child welfare system. The legislature also finds that the malama ohana working group was established within the office of wellness and resilience to seek, design, and recommend transformative changes to the State's existing child welfare system. In a report submitted to the 2025 legislature, the malama ohana working group recommended establishment of preventative programs and comprehensive services to reduce the risk of families entering the child welfare system. The legislature further finds that the child welfare services branch of the department of human services has struggled to fill vacant positions, resulting in high caseloads for existing staff. The legislature also finds that other states have successfully reduced the number of families involved in the SB952 SD2 LRB 25-0987.docx iiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiini Page 2 S.B. NO. S.D. states' child welfare systems by implementing innovative programs that include peer support and system navigation, resources and financial assistance, and parenting and family-strengthening classes. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the department of human services to establish a five-year child welfare system diversion and intervention pilot program to provide services for families and children involved, at risk of involvement, or …
Sponsors
- Joy San Buenaventura (D, 2) · primary sponsor
- Henry Aquino (D, 19)
- Stanley Chang (D, 9)
- Kurt Fevella (R, 20)
- Mike Gabbard (D, 21)
- Troy Hashimoto (D, 5)
- Lorraine Inouye (D, 1)
- Dru Kanuha (D, 3)
- Michelle Kidani (D, 18)
- Angus McKelvey (D, 6)
- Tim Richards (D, SD-004)
Latest actions
- : Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
- : House Conferee(s) discharged.
- : Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
- : Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
- : Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- : Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 876).
- : Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-25-25 1:30PM; Conference Room 329.
- : Senate Conferees Appointed: San Buenaventura Chair; Inouye Co-Chair; Hashimoto, Fevella.
- : Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 782).
- : House Conferees Appointed: Marten, Morikawa Co-Chairs; Kapela, Olds, Garcia.
Votes
- Third Reading as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2) (April 8, 2025): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- FIN: recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (March 28, 2025): 14 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Holt, Ward, Woodson excused (4) (March 13, 2025): 47 yea, 0 nay, passed
- HSH: recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED (March 11, 2025): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2) (March 4, 2025): 25 yea, 0 nay, passed
- WAM: recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS (February 19, 2025): 13 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Report, Housing, Appropriations, Working Group, Child Welfare Services, DHS, Reports
Common questions
- What is SB952?
- SB952 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to Child Welfare Services.
- What does SB952 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act relating to child welfare services.
- What is the status of SB952?
- Failed as of April 2, 2026. Latest action: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457). (April 2, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB952?
- Joy San Buenaventura (D, 2), with 10 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB952?
- On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=952&year=2026
Source: official Hawaii record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.