# Hawaii HB 239: RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE.

Hawaii HB 239, RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Lisa Marten (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB239-2026
- 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 239
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 14
- Subjects: Child Abuse, Neglect, Child Welfare, Financial Ability, HHS, JDC
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (115 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Amends the definition of "child abuse or neglect" to clarify that the failure to provide certain needs to a child shall not constitute child abuse or neglect if the sole reason the person responsible for the care of the child is unable to adequately provide for the child's care is lack of financial resources; and evidence of parental request for support shall not be deemed as evidence of child abuse and neglect. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Cory M. Chun (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tina Nakada Grandinetti (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Linda Ichiyama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kim Coco Iwamoto (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kirstin Kahaloa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lisa Kitagawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kanani Souza (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-12 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-25 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 7 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 47 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (22)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-04-03: The committee on JDC deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: The committee(s) on JDC deferred the measure until 04-03-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-25-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1190) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-03-20: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Keohokalole. (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-12-25 1:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 202). (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to HHS, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Amato, Garcia, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1051), recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-02-25: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Perruso, Takayama, Todd; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Kahaloa, Garcia, Shimizu. (House)
- 2025-02-21: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-25-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-02-10: Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 255) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2025-02-10: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Kila, Ward excused (4). (House)
- 2025-02-04: The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Chun, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-01-31: Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Tuesday, 02-04-25 9:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to HSH, JHA, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2025-01-16: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_SD1_.pdf)
- HB239_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_HD1_.HTM)
- HB239_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_SD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_.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/HB239_SD1_.pdf)
- [HB239_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB239_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_SD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB239_.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-HB239-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).