HB 1977: DOH; Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application; Mobile Pregnancy Application; Request for Proposals; Appropriation

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH.

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

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Part    .  maternal and infant health information mobile application

     §321-A  Definitions.  For the purposes of this part:

     "Department" means the department of health.

     "Mobile application" means the maternal and infant health information mobile application procured by the department pursuant to this part.

     "Qualified individuals" means prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and their families who are eligible for medicaid.

     §321-B  Maternal and infant health information mobile application; procurement; function.  (a)  Beginning no later than January 1, 2027, the department shall procure a maternal and infant health information mobile application to provide information on federal and state maternal and infant health programs and resources available to qualified individuals.

     (b)  The mobile application shall:

     (1)  Be capable of delivering education, resources, and support to qualified individuals, including information specific to the State such as links to programs offered by the department or other state agencies for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals;

     (2)  Include information and resources that meet acceptable clinical standards of care for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and infants, including standards of care established by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics;

     (3)  Be available in multiple languages; and

     (4)  Be available on all applicable mobile platforms.

     §321-C  Data collection.  The department shall collect the following data from the mobile application:

     (1)  The number of monthly users;

     (2)  The number of daily users;

     (3)  The number of users currently enrolled in medicaid;

     (4)  The number of users engaging in state specific content;

     (5)  The number of users seeking additional information about enrollment in medicaid or other available federal or state resources;

     (6)  The average length of time a user uses the mobile application; and

     (7)  Any other information required by the department or other state agencies.

     §321-D  Annual report; confidentiality.  (a)  Beginning with the regular session of 2029, the department shall provide to the legislature an annual report summarizing the information collected pursuant to 321-C no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session.

     (b)  Any reports submitted to the legislature under this section shall be limited to de-identified and aggregated data and shall not directly contain or indirectly result in the disclosure of personally identifiable information.

     §321-E  Fees.  (a)  No user of the mobile application shall be charged a fee for the use of the mobile application.

     (b)  The department shall pay the vendor of the mobile application a per user per month fee of no more than $10 per user per month for the use of the mobile application.

     §321-F  Rules.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 for the purposes of this part, including determining the maximum number of program participants."

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of health shall issue a request for proposals to carry out the purposes of this Act within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this Act.

     (b)  The department of health may procure or otherwise contract for an existing mobile pregnancy application to carry out the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  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 the department of health to carry out the purposes of this Act.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  In codifying the new sections added by section 1 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

Report Title:

DOH; Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application; Mobile Pregnancy Application; Request for Proposals; Appropriation

Description:

Requires the Department of Health to procure a Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application by 1/1/2027 to provide qualified individuals with information on federal and state programs and resources for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and their families.  Requires DOH to issue a request for proposals.  Authorizes DOH to procure or otherwise contract for an existing mobile pregnancy application.  Appropriates funds.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

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

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to health.

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

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Part    .  maternal and infant health information mobile application

     §321-A  Definitions.  For the purposes of this part:

     "Department" means the department of health.

     "Mobile application" means the maternal and infant health information mobile application procured by the department pursuant to this part.

     "Qualified individuals" means prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and their families who are eligible for medicaid.

     §321-B  Maternal and infant health information mobile application; procurement; function.  (a)  Beginning no later than           , the department shall procure a maternal and infant health information mobile application to provide information on federal and state maternal and infant health programs and resources available to qualified individuals.

     (b)  The mobile application shall:

     (1)  Be capable of delivering education, resources, and support to qualified individuals, including information specific to the State such as links to programs offered by the department or other state agencies for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals;

     (2)  Include information and resources that meet acceptable clinical standards of care for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and infants, including standards of care established by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Medical Association, and American Academy of Pediatrics;

     (3)  Be available in multiple languages; and

     (4)  Be available on all applicable mobile platforms.

     §321-C  Data collection.  The department shall collect the following data from the mobile application:

     (1)  The number of monthly users;

     (2)  The number of daily users;

     (3)  The number of users currently enrolled in medicaid;

     (4)  The number of users engaging in state specific content;

     (5)  The number of users seeking additional information about enrollment in medicaid or other available federal or state resources;

     (6)  The average length of time a user uses the mobile application; and

     (7)  Any other information required by the department or other state agencies.

     §321-D  Annual report; confidentiality.  (a)  Beginning with the regular session of     , the department shall provide to the legislature an annual report summarizing the information collected pursuant to 321-C no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session.

     (b)  Any reports submitted to the legislature under this section shall be limited to de-identified and aggregated data and shall not directly contain or indirectly result in the disclosure of personally identifiable information.

     §321-E  Fees.  (a)  No user of the mobile application shall be charged a fee for the use of the mobile application.

     (b)  The department shall pay the vendor of the mobile application a per user per month fee of no more than $10 per user per month for the use of the mobile application.

     §321-F  Rules.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 for the purposes of this part."

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of health shall issue a request for proposals to carry out the purposes of this Act within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this Act.

     (b)  The department of health may procure or otherwise contract for an existing mobile pregnancy application to carry out the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $150,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the department of health to carry out the purposes of this Act.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  In codifying the new sections added by section 1 of this Act, the revisor of statutes shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in designating the new sections in this Act.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

Report Title:

DOH; Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application; Mobile Pregnancy Application; Request for Proposals; Appropriation

Description:

Requires the Department of Health to procure a Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application to provide qualified individuals with information on federal and state programs and resources for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and their families.  Requires DOH to issue a request for proposals.  Authorizes DOH to procure or otherwise contract for an existing mobile pregnancy application.  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.

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1081-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2026

RE:   H.B. No. 1977

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1977, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Department of Health to procure a Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application by January 1, 2027, or contract for an existing mobile pregnancy application, to provide qualified individuals with information on federal and state programs and resources for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and their families and annually report to the Legislature certain de-identified, aggregated data collected from the application.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women and League of Women Voters of Hawaii.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1977, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  360-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2026

RE:   H.B. No. 1977

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1977 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Health to procure a Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application to provide qualified individuals with information on federal and state program and resources for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and their families.  

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Hawaiʻi Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives; Philips; and March of Dimes.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     Your Committee finds that timely access to accurate health information is a key determinant of positive health outcomes for mothers and infants.  Your Committee further finds that digital tools, when thoughtfully designed, can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and increase access to available federal and state services and resources.  Your Committee believes that making a maternal and infant health information mobile application available at no cost to qualified individuals in the State will improve maternal and infant health outcomes and enable the State to identify service gaps and improve existing programs.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Health to procure the Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application no later than January 1, 2027;

     (2)  Requiring the Department of Health to submit an annual report to the Legislature beginning with the Regular Session of 2029;

     (3)  Requiring the Department of Health to determine the maximum number of program participants by rule;

     (4)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

     (5)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

     (6)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $150,000.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1977, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1977, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,