House Floor

Will the house come to order? Mister Clerk, please call the roll.

[Roll Call] Madam Speaker, 49 Members are present. Two are not present.

Item number two, reading of the journal, Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, may this matter be deferred.

So ordered. Item number three, messages from the governor. Mister Clerk, are there any messages from the governor?

Yes, madam speaker. We are in receipt of governor's message number 1104 informing the House that Senate Bill number 2256 was signed into law on 04/23/2026 and designated as act four. May this matter be received and filed.

So ordered. Item number four, Senate communications. Mister Clerk, are there any Senate communications?

Yes, Madam Speaker. If you and the members will turn your attention to the addendum to today's order of the day, We are in receipt of communications returning the noted House Concurrent Resolutions, all having been adopted in the Senate.

We are in further receipt of communications informing the House that the Senate has appointed conferees to the noted House and Senate bills. Finally, we are in receipt of a communication informing the House that the Senate has made changes to conferees to the noted Senate bill.

Members, are there any introductions? Representative Evslin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It's my honor to introduce and welcome students from Island School who are here today for the National History Day competition, which I believe is tomorrow. They are seventh and eighth grade students of mister, Pat Hagen.

Students, if you could please rise. And welcome to your house of representatives. And if I could have permission to insert their names into the journal.

So ordered. Thank you. K. Members, if there are no further introductions, recess subject to the call of the Chair.

Will the House come to order? Members, are there any late introductions?

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Representative Tam.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I understand that in the gallery today is a constituent of mine. I want to recognize mister Gregory Misakian. Can you please stand and be recognized and welcome to your House of Representatives, Ike?

Okay. Members, if there are no further introductions, we'll turn to the order of the day. Item number 5 reports of Standing Committees. Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker, I move to adopt Standing Committee Reports numbers 2243-26 through 2254- 26 as listed on pages one through five and that the accompanied Senate Concurrent Resolutions as may be amended be adopted.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker second the motion.

Any discussion on these items beginning with House Standing Committee Report number 2243, 2244. Representative Pierick. Report number 2245. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Report number 2246, 2247. Representative Garcia.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

Reservations.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Iwamoto.

Reservations.

So ordered. Report number 2248.

Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Cochran.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

In opposition.

Please proceed.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I read this resolution, I'm kind of curious because my understanding is this is already the law of the land and that there is some testimony I've been aware of, there's no evidence of any refusal or problems with this.

So I believe this is not really a necessary resolution. And in this state, we we do have freedom, my body, my choice. And I understand people have difficult decisions, which we can all respect.

And if there's a choice, I will always choose life. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Same request.

Same so ordered. Representative La Chica.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, in strong support.

Please proceed.

This measure, is absolutely necessary for our state. EMTALA stands for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, a federal law passed in 1986.

It requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide emergency screening and stabilizing treatment to anyone who becomes to the emergency room regardless of their ability to pay.

For decades, EMTALA has been understood to require abortion care when it is medically necessary to stabilize a pregnant patient experiencing an emergency, such as an ectopic pregnancy or severe complications.

In recent years, however, with the current administration, federal guidance around EMTALA has shifted. In 2022, Federal Government explicitly reaffirmed that EMTALA, reaffirmed that emergency abortion care is required under EMTALA,

which is particularly important for states that have passed abortion bans. Meaning, states cannot turn away emergency care and must provide stabilizing treatment which can include abortion.

However, in the past year, under the current administration, federal guidance was rescinded, not changing the law itself, but creating confusion for hospitals and providers about how the law is enforced.

That uncertainty has had real consequences in once in California, for example, a patient experiencing a life threatening miscarriage was denied timely care at a religiously affiliated hospital, leading to legal action by the state attorney general.

Here in Hawaii, our own attorney general joined several attorneys general across the country, informally reaffirming that EMTALA remains in full effect. And with the passage of this resolution, it also reaffirms that our health care hospitals and providers affirm the same.

This resolution affirms Hawaii's long standing practice of complying with EMTALA, supports hospitals and providers who are doing the right thing, and provides clarity that emergency care decisions should be guided by medical judgment and patient safety.

Mahalo to the healthcare association of Hawaii, as well as to all the Chairs for working with us on getting this, resolution passed. Mahalo.

Represent Grandinetti.

In support. And may I adopt the words of the previous speaker as my own?

So ordered.

Thank you.

Representative Shimizu, second time.

Second time, still in opposition. Appreciate the the words of the previous, testifier and I agree. Hospital should follow the law. Thank you.

Representative Garcia, second time.

In opposition, and I'd like to adopt the words of the Representative of Moanalua as my own.

So ordered. Representative Souza.

In support.

Please proceed.

I would like to adopt the words of the Vice Chair of Education as my own.

So ordered.

Thank you.

Representative Hussey.

Same request.

So ordered. Standing Committee Report number 2249. Representative Garcia.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

So ordered. Report number 2250. Representative Garcia.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Amato.

Reservations.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Cochran.

With reservations.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Matsumoto.

No vote.

So ordered. Standing Committee Report number 2251. Representative Garcia.

Reservations.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

Reservations.

So ordered. Report number 2252. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Report number 2253. Representative Garcia.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

In opposition.

Please proceed.

Thank you Madam Speaker. You know, on the surface, this is a good and reasonable resolution. My opposition to this is definitely, a complicated issue as a non techie person speaking.

I believe that if this is something that we are to pursue, instead of tasking the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission to look into this very complex issue that we should rely on subject matter experts and consultants instead. Thank you Madam Speaker.

Representative Cochran.

No vote.

So ordered. Standing Committee Report number 2254. Representative Garcia.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Pierick.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Muraoka.

No vote.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

In opposition.

Please proceed.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Again, this is my understanding is is already the law of the land, and I think we should be focusing on issues that concern specifically the state of Hawaii. Thank you Madam Speaker.

Representative Matsumoto.

No vote please.

So ordered. Representative Tam.

Thank you Madam Speaker. In support.

Please proceed.

I take great offense to say that this is only focused on people that are outside of the state. When we have relatives and family members that are consistently facing discrimination across the country when they apply for employment, housing, and public accommodations.

This affects all of us. If we aren't able to stand up for one set of group of individuals, then we're gonna let down every single group of individuals. So for that, for those reasons, I rise in strong support that this is much needed.

Representative Gedeon.

No vote and I'd like to adopt the words of the Representative from Honolulu.

So ordered. Representative Shimizu.

Thank you Madam Speaker. Any apologies? No. No offense intended. Thank you.

Members, if there's no further discussion, we'll be taking a voice vote. All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed, say no. The motion is carried. Item number six, final reading.

Members, there will be three motions. One to agree to the Senate amendments, one to suspend the rules for final reading by consent calendar, and one to pass the house bills on final reading. Representative Kahaloha for the motion to agree.

Madam Speaker, I move to agree to the amendments made by the Senate to House Bill number 2296, House Draft 1, House Bill number 2315 House Draft 1 and House Bill number 2343 House Draft .

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker second motion.

Any discussion? Members will be taking a voice vote. All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed, say no. The motion is carried.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules of the House in order to consider certain House bills for final reading by consent calendar.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Any questions? All those in favor, signify by saying Aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried.

Representative Kahaloa.

Madam Speaker, I move that said House bills with Senate drafts as listed on page five past final reading.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

Members, is there any discussion on these items beginning with House Bill 2296 ? Representative Garcia.

So ordered. Representative Alcos.

Reservations.

Same request.

So ordered. Representative Gedeon.

So ordered. House Bill 2315. House Bill 2343. K. Seeing no further discussion, Representative Morikawa for the vote.

Reservations.

Madam Speaker, on the measures before us, all Majority Members vote Aye.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, on the measures before us, all Minority Members vote Aye.

Members have all votes been cast. Said bills passed final reading. K. Members run item number seven announcements are there any announcements. K.

If there are no announcements the Chair would like to remind committee chairs that today is a second crossover filing deadline for amended Senate Concurrent Resolutions please file your committee reports and drafts with the chief clerk's office by 6PM this evening.

Representative Morikawa.

Madam Speaker I moved at this house stand adjourned until 12:00 noon Monday.

Representative Garcia.

Madam Speaker, I second the motion.

All those in favor, say Aye. All those opposed say no. The motion is carried. The house stands adjourned until 12:00 noon, Monday.