# Hawaii SB 1495: RELATING TO HEARING AIDS.

Hawaii SB 1495, 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-SB1495-2026
- 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 1495
- 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: 4
- Subjects: Deaf and Blind Task Force, General Excise Tax, Hearing Aids, Exemption, HHS, WAM/CPN
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 1 (4 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Exempts from the general excise tax, gross receipts received by a hospital, infirmary, medical clinic, health care facility, pharmacy, or a practitioner licensed to administer drugs to an individual, from the sale of hearing aids. Effective 12/31/2050. Sunsets 1/1/2027. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Lynn DeCoite (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Carol Fukunaga (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sharon Y. Moriwaki (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

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

## Actions (8)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-02-13: Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 421) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM/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, WAM/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/SB1495_SD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1495_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1495_.PDF)
- SB1495_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1495_SD1_.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/SB1495_SD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1495_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1495_.PDF)
- [SB1495_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB1495_SD1_.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)
- [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-SB1495-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).