HB 1855: Hawaii Violent Death Reporting System; Appropriation

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to health.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

Violent death reporting

     §   -1  Definitions.  As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise:

     "Hawaii violent death reporting system" means a federally funded program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is a program that is a part of the National Violent Death Reporting System that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention oversees and manages.

     "Violent death" means a death by suicide or homicide, undetermined intent death, accidental firearm death, or legal intervention death, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

     §   -2  Hawaii violent death reporting system; duties; structure.  (a)  The Hawaii violent death reporting system shall collect information and data on all violent deaths that occur within the State regardless of the victim's residency or nationality, as defined and required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

     (b)  The Hawaii violent death reporting system program shall be operated and managed by a state agency or institution that submits an application and is awarded a grant by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to operate and manage the program.

     (c)  The Hawaii violent death reporting system team shall be staffed with a minimum of two full-time equivalent positions, one of which shall be the principal investigator and manager, and the other shall be a data abstractor.

     §   -3  Access to information.  (a)  Upon request of the Hawaii violent death reporting system team, all medical examiners, physicians acting under the direction of coroners, state agencies, and county agencies shall disclose to the Hawaii violent death reporting system team all information and records regarding the circumstances of violent deaths for the purposes of the team abstracting information and data from records.

     (b)  The Hawaii violent death reporting system team may enter into memoranda of understanding with the relevant state agencies and branches of government and county agencies to obtain information and reports relating to violent deaths.

     (c)  To the extent that this section conflicts with other state confidentiality laws, the provisions of this section shall prevail and be interpreted in favor of greater disclosure of violent deaths.

     (d)  To the extent possible and as required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the data abstraction conducted pursuant to this section shall commence no later than six months following the violent deaths.

     §   -4  Exception.  Information regarding an ongoing civil or criminal investigation shall be disclosed at the discretion of the applicable state or county law enforcement agency.

     §   -5  Use of Hawaii violent death reporting system information and records.  (a)  Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all information and records acquired by the Hawaii violent death reporting system team during its violent deaths data abstraction pursuant to this chapter are confidential and shall only be disclosed as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

     (b) Information from the Hawaii Violent Death Reporting System, along with statistical summaries that exclude any previously undisclosed details that could identify an individual, shall be considered public records."

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) principal investigator and manager position and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) data abstractor position.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the state agency or institution that submits an application and is awarded the grant by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

Report Title:

Hawaii Violent Death Reporting System; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes a framework for the creation of the Hawaii Violent Death Reporting System, to be federally funded, for the purposes of collecting information and data on violent deaths in the State.  Appropriates funds.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.