# Hawaii HB 2159: RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. Hawaii HB 2159, RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported from EDU/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3390) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2159-2026 - 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 2159 - State: Hawaii - Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) - Title: RELATING TO HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. - Status: failed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-26 - Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported from EDU/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3390) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. - Sponsor: Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 24 - Subjects: Health Care Workforce Development, Positions, Appropriation, EDU/HHS, WAM - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (139 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Establishes positions and appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii to support health care workforce development in the State. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1) ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Andrew Takuya Garrett (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Terez Amato (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Della Au Belatti (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cory M. Chun (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tina Nakada Grandinetti (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Greggor Ilagan (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kim Coco Iwamoto (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kirstin Kahaloa (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jeanne Kapela (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY - Cosponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sam Satoru Kong (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Matthias Kusch (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tyson K. Miyake (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dee Morikawa (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jackson D. Sayama (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-25 | Senate | The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 0 | | | 2026-03-25 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 | | | 2026-03-05 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 48 | 1 | | | 2026-02-25 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 16 | 0 | | | 2026-02-18 | House | The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2026-02-11 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HLT... | pass | 49 | 1 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 10 | 0 | | ## Actions (23) - 2026-03-30: Reported from EDU/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3390) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate) - 2026-03-25: 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. (Senate) - 2026-03-25: 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. (Senate) - 2026-03-20: The committee(s) on EDU/HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-25-26 1:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Referred to EDU/HHS, WAM. (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 86). (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Passed First Reading. (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 807-26), recommending passage on Third Reading. (House) - 2026-03-05: Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. (House) - 2026-02-25: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House) - 2026-02-23: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 02-25-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House) - 2026-02-19: Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 552-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN. (House) - 2026-02-19: 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). (House) - 2026-02-18: The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Olds. (House) - 2026-02-13: Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Wednesday, 02-18-26 10:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House) - 2026-02-11: Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 136-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HLT. (House) - 2026-02-11: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HLT with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1). (House) - 2026-02-06: The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Evslin, Kapela, Kila, La Chica, Olds, Woodson, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House) - 2026-02-03: Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Friday, 02-06-26 2:05PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House) - 2026-01-30: Referred to HED, HLT, FIN, referral sheet 5 (House) - 2026-01-28: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House) - 2026-01-26: Pending introduction. (House) ## Bill text - Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_SD1_.pdf) - HB2159_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_HD1_.HTM) - HB2159_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_HD2_.HTM) - HB2159_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_SD1_.HTM) - Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_.PDF) ## Related bills - SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law) - HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed) - HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed) - SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed) - HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed) - HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed) ## Sources - [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_SD1_.pdf) - [HB2159_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_HD1_.HTM) - [HB2159_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_HD2_.HTM) - [HB2159_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_SD1_.HTM) - [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_.HTM) - [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB2159_.PDF) ## Related - [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026) - [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 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 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) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2159-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).