# Hawaii SB 1494: RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.

Hawaii SB 1494, RELATING TO HEARING AIDS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by SAN BUENAVENTURA; status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1494-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 1494
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: Deaf and Blind Task Force, Kupuna Caucus, Health Insurance Coverage, Hearing Aids, HLT, CPC, FIN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (33 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires health insurance policies and contracts issued on or after 1/1/2026 to provide optional coverage for the cost of hearing aids at a minimum $1,500 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every thirty-six months. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Lynn DeCoite (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lorraine R. Inouye (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-20 | Senate | The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-03 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (18)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-03-12: The committee(s) on HLT recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. (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. 353) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-27: Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 749) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: 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, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Richards. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on CPN will hold a public decision making on 02-20-25 9:30AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 271) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Keohokalole. (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to HHS, CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_SD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_.PDF)
- SB1494_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_SD1_.HTM)
- SB1494_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_SD2_.HTM)

## Related bills

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

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_SD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_.PDF)
- [SB1494_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB1494_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1494_SD2_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1494-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).