# Hawaii HR 61: REQUESTING THE DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD TO STUDY THE HEALTH CARE SETTING COMMUNICATION NEEDS OF, AND DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAF-BLIND.

Hawaii HR 61, REQUESTING THE DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD TO STUDY THE HEALTH CARE SETTING COMMUNICATION NEEDS OF, AND DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAF-BLIND., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic); status adopted, last action 2026-04-09 (Reported from HSH/HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1837-26), recommending adoption.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HR61-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HR 61
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: REQUESTING THE DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD TO STUDY THE HEALTH CARE SETTING COMMUNICATION NEEDS OF, AND DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAF-BLIND.
- Status: adopted
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-03-12
- Last action: 2026-04-09, Reported from HSH/HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1837-26), recommending adoption.
- Sponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Department of Health, Disability and Communication Access Board, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind, Americans with Disabilities Act, Effective Communication, HSH/HLT
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (18 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jenna Takenouchi (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-07 | House | The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-04-07 | House | The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (9)

- 2026-04-09: Reported from HSH/HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1837-26), recommending adoption. (House)
- 2026-04-09: Adopted with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). (House)
- 2026-04-09: Resolution adopted in final form. (House)
- 2026-04-07: The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-04-07: The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-04-02: Resolution scheduled to be heard by HSH/HLT on Tuesday, 04-07-26 11:15AM in conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-18: Referred to HSH/HLT, referral sheet 18 (House)
- 2026-03-16: Offered (House)
- 2026-03-12: To be offered. (House)

## Bill text

- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HR61_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HR61_.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
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HR61_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HR61_.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)
- [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-HR61-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).