Hawaii requires a study plan for long-term care financing

The Executive Office on Aging must develop a framework and work plan for a study of long-term care financing options. The study must examine public and private ways to pay for care for people with functional limits or chronic illnesses who need help with daily activities. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

The office must report its study plan and proposed next steps to the Legislature. The report goes to the Legislature and must include the framework and work plan for the study. The report must include the estimated cost of the proposed study, recommendations for next steps, and proposed legislation with needed funding to obtain the study. The office must submit the report no later than 20 days before the 2027 regular legislative session.

The office may contract with the University of Hawaii to do the study-planning work, and the law sets aside up to $100,000 for the office’s work. The contracting authority applies to work required under the study-planning section. The $100,000 comes from state general revenues for fiscal year 2026–2027 and may be used only for this law’s purposes. The contract is exempt from the state procurement law identified in the text. The law takes effect July 1, 2026; the appropriation is for fiscal year 2026–2027.