# Hawaii SB 953: RELATING TO HOSPITALS.

Hawaii SB 953, RELATING TO HOSPITALS., 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.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB953-2026
- 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 953
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO HOSPITALS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsors: 7
- Subjects: DOH, Consumer Protection, Hospital Price Transparency Act, Collection of Debt, Prohibition, Remedies, Medicare Reimbursement Rates, Posting, Performance Assessment, Rules, HHS/CPN, JDC
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Establishes the State's Hospital Price Transparency Act. Prohibits hospitals from taking certain debt collection actions against a patient if the hospital is not in compliance with hospital price transparency laws. Allows patients and patient guarantors to file suit against hospitals in violation. Requires hospitals to make public and post their Medicare reimbursement rates no later than 10/1/25 and deems violations as an unfair and deceptive act or practice. Requires the Department of Health to conduct performance assessments of hospitals for adherence to federal transparency rules annually and make a list of hospitals with poor performance available on its website no later than 2/1/2026. Requires the Department of Health to adopt rules.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kurt Fevella (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Angus L.K. McKelvey (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sharon Y. Moriwaki (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (8)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-02-12: The committee on HHS deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: The committee on CPN deferred the measure. (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, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB953_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB953_.pdf)

## 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
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB953_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB953_.pdf)

## 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-SB953-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).