This Week in Hawai'i

from Hawaii Family Forum, Feb 13, 2026

HB 1875 Relating to Healthcare (Protecting Gender-Affirming "Healthcare")

HB 1875 was heard this week by the House Committee on Health and the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. 

What the bill does:

HB 1875 weakens medical accountability and limits safeguards intended to protect patients, families, and especially minors. While framed as protecting access to care, the bill expands legal shields that place certain medical practices beyond meaningful professional scrutiny.

Hawaii Family Forum Position:

Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition, raising concerns about the protection of minors, parental rights, medical ethics, and the long-term consequences of insulating certain medical practices from scrutiny.  Mahalo to the NO VOTES below.

Current Status:

On February 11, 2026, the bill passed both a joint committee hearing with amendments:

House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce (CPC)

• 8 Ayes: Representatives Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Marten, Tam
• 1 No: Representative Kong
• 2 Excused: Representatives Lowen, Pierick

House Committee on Health (HLT)

• 6 Ayes: Representatives Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi
• 2 Noes: Representatives Alcos, Garcia
• 1 Excused: Representative Amato

What's next?

The amended version (House Draft 1) will now move to the House Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

HB 1876 Relating to Mental Health (Conversion Therapy "fix")

What the bill does:

HB 1876 proposes changes to Hawaiʻi’s existing law on conversion therapy by expanding the prohibition to apply to persons of all ages and by clarifying that “talk therapy in the form of pure speech” would be exempt from the ban. The bill is written to take effect only if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns a recent federal court decision involving similar laws in another state.

Hawaii Family Forum position:

Hawaii Family Forum opposes this measure. While the Legislature claims this bill is necessary to address anticipated constitutional guidance, it is premature and imprudent to amend or expand state law before a final Supreme Court ruling is issued. The bill goes beyond addressing abusive practices and instead expands government involvement into voluntary, adult counseling relationships, raising concerns about personal autonomy, religious liberty, and free speech.

Current status:

The bill was heard in the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce on Tuesday, February 10. The votes were as follows: 

• 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam;
•  Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; 
• 1 Noes: Representative(s) Pierick; 

What’s next:

The bill now moves to the House Judiciary Committee.

HB 1945 Cruise Ship Gambling

What the bill does:

HB 1945, a bill that would authorize casino-style gambling on cruise ships while docked in Hawaiʻi harbors and traveling in state waters, was heard this week by the House Committee on Economic Development & Technology. While some supporters frame the bill as a limited economic opportunity, serious concerns remain about the long-term impact of expanding gambling in Hawaiʻi, particularly on families and local communities.

Hawaii Family Forum Position:

Hawaiʻi Family Forum opposed HB 1945, emphasizing that this bill represents a significant policy shift, opens the door to broader gambling expansion, and places social costs on Hawaiʻi families that far outweigh any speculative revenue. The bill remains part of an ongoing legislative conversation, and we will continue to monitor its progress and keep you informed on next steps.

Current Status: The committee(s) on ECD recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. So the bill is dead for this session!

HB 2570 Sports Wagering

What the bill does:

This week, the House Committee on Economic Development & Technology heard HB 2570, a bill that would legalize online sports wagering in Hawaiʻi through mobile apps and digital platforms. 

Hawaii Family Forum Position:

Hawaii Family Forum submitted testimony in opposition, raising concerns about increased addiction risks, harm to families, and the long-term social costs of expanding gambling in our state. We also encouraged citizens to contact their legislators ahead of the hearing to urge a NO vote. We will continue to monitor this bill closely and keep you informed as it moves through the legislative process.  MAHALO TO THE 20 NO VOTES ON THE FLOOR for second reading.

Current Status: On February 12, 2026 the bill passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA/CPC:

• YES WITH RESERVATIONS: Representative(s) Chun, Souza, Tam
• NO VOTES: Representative(s) Alcos, Belatti, Cochran, Garcia, Garrett, Gedeon, Grandinetti, Hussey, Kapela, Kila, Lowen, Marten, Matsumoto, Muraoka, Perruso, Pierick, Reyes Oda, Shimizu, Takayama, Templo voting no (20) and none excused (0)

What's Next? The bill now moves to a joint committee hearing of Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs and Consumer Protection.

Take action on MARIJUANA!

Upcoming Legislative Deadlines

• FEB 19 FIRST LATERAL FILING (BILLS) – Filing Deadline for First Lateral Bills 
• FEB 20 FIRST LATERAL (BILLS) – All bills referred to more than one committee (i.e., those with multiple referrals) must move to their final committee in the originating chamber by this day. 
• FEB 26-MAR 4 MANDATORY 5-DAY RECESS – Hawaii’s Constitution mandates a 5 day recess between the 20th and 40th days of the regular session. Neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate convene or assemble formally in chamber on recess days. Committee hearings do take place, however.

A Difficult but Necessary Decision About Our Podcast

After much prayer and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue our YouTube podcast uploads due to funding constraints. While we deeply value this platform and the conversations we’ve been able to share, we must be wise stewards of the resources entrusted to us.

The good news is that Faith and Family First is still going strong! You can continue listening each week on KLHT Radio at 1:30 p.m., as well as on iTunes and Spotify. We encourage you to tune in, share episodes with friends, and help us expand our reach.

We are also actively seeking program sponsors who believe in equipping Hawaii’s families with thoughtful, faith-centered discussions on the issues shaping our state. If you or someone you know would be interested in sponsoring the show, we would love to connect.

Mahalo for standing with us and for being part of this growing community. Together, we will continue bringing truth and hope to Hawaii.