Hawaii Senate Bill 2491

Hawaii Senate Bill 2491
Title	Hawaii Senate Bill 2491
Bill number	SB 2491
Legislature	Hawaii State Legislature
Introduced	2024
Sponsor	Ron Kouchi
Status	Pending

Hawaii Senate Bill 2491 is proposed legislation introduced in the Hawaii State Senate during the 2024 session that addresses statutory changes affecting state programs and administrative procedures. The measure has generated interest among stakeholders including executive agencies, county officials such as City and County of Honolulu, advocacy organizations like Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, and private sector groups including the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce. The bill intersects with ongoing policy debates involving Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Department of Health (Hawaii), and fiscal oversight entities such as the Hawaii State Auditor.

Background and Legislative Context

SB 2491 arises against a backdrop of prior measures enacted by the Hawaii State Legislature such as reforms following the Great Recession, statutory responses to COVID-19 pandemic, and administrative changes prompted by rulings from the Hawaii Supreme Court. Stakeholders referenced in committee hearings include representatives from Hawaii County, Maui County, and Kauai County. Debates around SB 2491 echo earlier legislative actions like the passage of bills influenced by the Hawaiʻi Admission Act legacy, executive directives from the Governor of Hawaii, and federal interactions with United States Department of Health and Human Services and United States Department of the Interior programs affecting indigenous beneficiaries represented by Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees.

Provisions of the Bill

The bill proposes amendments to statutory frameworks administered by agencies such as the Department of Human Services (Hawaii), the Department of Health (Hawaii), and regulatory boards that have previously coordinated with entities like Hawaiian Homes Commission and University of Hawaiʻi. Specific provisions address eligibility criteria reminiscent of debates over Medicaid expansion, reporting requirements similar to those enforced by the Hawaii State Auditor, and interagency data-sharing protocols paralleling initiatives undertaken with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. The measure includes administrative rules that relate to operations previously codified under statutes influenced by decisions from the United States Supreme Court, and it references compliance frameworks used in programs administered alongside the Department of Education (Hawaii).

Legislative History and Process

SB 2491 was introduced in the Hawaii State Senate and assigned to committees including Senate Ways and Means Committee (Hawaii), Senate Committees on Health and Human Services (Hawaii), or equivalents that handle budgetary and policy review. The bill’s referral mirrors practices used for prior legislation like measures sponsored by leaders such as Ron Kouchi and deliberations that involved testimony from entities including the Hawaii Board of Regents and local governments including City and County of Honolulu. Hearings featured witnesses from advocacy groups such as Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice and business representatives like the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, and amendments were discussed in the style of previous floor debates involving the Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives and senators from delegations such as Mele Carroll’s predecessors.

Supporters and Opponents

Support for SB 2491 has been signaled by organizations including the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, nonprofit service providers like Aloha United Way, and county administrations such as officials from Maui County. Opponents have included advocacy groups focused on indigenous rights such as Kamehameha Schools stakeholders and public interest organizations like Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice where concerns echo earlier criticisms lodged during disputes involving Office of Hawaiian Affairs policy. Testimony also referenced positions taken by professional associations such as the Hawaii Medical Association and labor groups akin to Hawai‘i Government Employees Association in prior deliberations.

Fiscal and Policy Impacts

Analyses of SB 2491 draw on fiscal estimates similar to those prepared by the Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance and programmatic evaluations performed by the Hawaii State Auditor. Potential budgetary effects were compared to impacts from earlier appropriations related to Medicaid expansion and public health funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Policy implications involve interactions with federal funding streams overseen by agencies like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and administrative precedents from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Local fiscal consequences were discussed with reference to county budgets in City and County of Honolulu, Maui County, and Hawaii County.

Amendments, Revisions, and Related Legislation

During committee review, SB 2491 was subject to amendments paralleling procedural practices seen in modifications to bills such as those amending the Hawaii Revised Statutes after rulings by the Hawaii Supreme Court or federal directives from the United States Supreme Court. Related legislative efforts include companion measures in the Hawaii House of Representatives and previous sessions’ bills that tackled similar issues, for example legislation associated with Medicaid expansion or administrative reforms influenced by reports from the Hawaii State Auditor and advisory inputs from institutions like the University of Hawaiʻi system. Continued coordination is anticipated with federal partners such as the United States Department of the Interior and programmatic stakeholders including Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees.

Category:2024 in Hawaii law