# Hawaii HB 1996: RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.

Hawaii HB 1996, RELATING TO HEARING AIDS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-02-18 (Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 414-26), recommending referral to FIN.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1996-2026
- 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 1996
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-02-18, Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 414-26), recommending referral to FIN.
- Sponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Subjects: Deaf and Blind Task Force, General Excise Tax, Hearing Aids, Exemption, HLT, ECD, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (67 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Exempts from the general excise tax, gross receipts from the sale of hearing aids received by a hospital, infirmary, medical clinic, health care facility, pharmacy, or a practitioner licensed to administer drugs to an individual. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terez Amato (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David Alcos III (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Diamond Garcia (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-13 | House | The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 7 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on ECD... | pass | 51 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (11)

- 2026-02-18: Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 414-26), recommending referral to FIN. (House)
- 2026-02-18: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-02-13: The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Holt, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-10: Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD on Friday, 02-13-26 8:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 50-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to ECD. (House)
- 2026-02-06: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on ECD with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-02-04: The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-01-30: Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Wednesday, 02-04-26 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-28: Referred to HLT, ECD, FIN, referral sheet 3 (House)
- 2026-01-26: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-23: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_HD1_.pdf)
- HB1996_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_HD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_HD1_.pdf)
- [HB1996_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_HD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1996_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [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 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1996-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).