# Hawaii SB 1040: RELATING TO MEDICAL DEBT.

Hawaii SB 1040, RELATING TO MEDICAL DEBT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Chris Lee (Democratic); status passed senate, last action 2025-03-14 (Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1254) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.) (as of 2026-10-28).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1040-2025
- As of: 2026-10-28
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 1040
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO MEDICAL DEBT.
- Status: passed senate
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-03-14, Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1254) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: OWR, Medical Debt Acquisition and Forgiveness, Study, Report, HLT, CPC, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires the Office of Wellness and Resilience to conduct a study on the cost and feasibility of establishing a program to acquire and forgive medical debt owed by certain households in the State. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 12/31/2050. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: C.
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (21)

- 2025-03-14: Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1254) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Holt, Iwamoto, Ward excused (4). (House)
- 2025-03-12: 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, Chun, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Wednesday, 03-12-25 9:00AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to HLT, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 245) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-27: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 768) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from HHS/CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 648) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: 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, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, Richards, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: The committee(s) on HHS/CPN deferred the measure until 02-12-25 9:34AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-06: The committee(s) on HHS/CPN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-25 9:45AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to HHS/CPN, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_.PDF)
- SB1040_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_HD1_.HTM)
- SB1040_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_SD1_.HTM)
- SB1040_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_.PDF)
- [SB1040_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB1040_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB1040_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1040_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1040-2025 (as of 2026-10-28).