# Hawaii HB 1645: RELATING TO LIABILITY.

Hawaii HB 1645, RELATING TO LIABILITY., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported from HHS/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3337) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1645-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 1645
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO LIABILITY.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-20
- Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported from HHS/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3337) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
- Sponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: DHS, Nonprofit Child Welfare Service Organizations, Child Welfare Services, Liability, Indemnification, Additional Insured, Trial, Bond, HHS/CPN, JDC
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (135 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Provides certain liability protections for nonprofit child welfare service organizations that are under contract with the Department of Human Services to provide child welfare services to children and families. Prohibits contracts between nonprofit child welfare service organizations and the State from including indemnification and hold harmless provisions and from requiring either party to name the other as an additional insured in their respective liability insurance policies. Prohibits pre- and post-judgment interest and punitive damages for nonprofit child welfare service organizations. Requires actions against nonprofit child welfare service organizations to be tried by the court, except in certain circumstances. Removes joint and several liability for nonprofit child welfare service organizations. Specifies that no bond shall be required from a nonprofit child welfare service organization on appeal. Effective 1/30/2050. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terez Amato (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Greggor Ilagan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-24 | Senate | The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | House | The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 51 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 2026-03-30: Reported from HHS/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3337) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-03-24: The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Lamosao, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Kanuha, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: The committee(s) on CPN deferred the measure until 03-24-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: The committee(s) on HHS/CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 255). (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to HHS/CPN, JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with Representative(s) Garcia, Iwamoto, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1044-26) as amended in HD 3, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26. (House)
- 2026-02-26: The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Marten, Pierick. (House)
- 2026-02-24: Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Thursday, 02-26-26 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-20: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 739-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to CPC. (House)
- 2026-02-20: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on CPC as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). (House)
- 2026-02-13: 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, Sayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Takayama. (House)
- 2026-02-11: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Friday, 02-13-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-10: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-02-09: Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 65-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2026-02-03: 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. (House)
- 2026-01-30: Re-referred to HSH, JHA, CPC, referral sheet 5 (House)
- 2026-01-29: Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Tuesday, 02-03-26 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-26: Referred to HSH, JHA, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2026-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-20: Prefiled. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_SD1_.pdf)
- HB1645_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_HD1_.HTM)
- HB1645_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_HD2_.HTM)
- HB1645_HD3: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_HD3_.HTM)
- HB1645_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_SD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_SD1_.pdf)
- [HB1645_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB1645_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_HD2_.HTM)
- [HB1645_HD3 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_HD3_.HTM)
- [HB1645_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_SD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1645_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1645-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).