HawaiiQualified psychologists may prescribe mental health medicines on Kauai
Upon approval, qualified clinical psychologists could prescribe certain mental health medicines to patients at federally qualified health centers in Kauai County for a three-year pilot.
What it does
A three-year pilot would let qualified clinical psychologists prescribe certain mental health medicines to their patients at federally qualified health centers in Kauai County, under physician supervision.
Lawmakers would receive a report before the 2030 session recommending whether to expand the pilot, make psychologist prescribing permanent statewide, or end it.
Psychologists approved for the pilot would be listed as controlled-substance practitioners, but they could not handle professional controlled-substance samples and would remain subject to the pilot's limits.
Argument forPatients at underserved Kauai health centers could have another supervised source of mental health treatment, which may improve access to care.
Argument againstBecause prescribing is limited to qualifying Kauai health centers and requires specialized training and physician supervision, eligible psychologists and patients may have limited access to the program.
More detail
The state health planning and development agency, working with the board of psychology, would run a pilot allowing approved clinical psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medicines under a supervising physician. The pilot covers licensed clinical psychologists treating patients at federally qualified health centers located in Kauai County. A psychologist must meet Hawaii licensing requirements, complete approved education and training, pass an approved national examination, work for or contract with a qualifying Kauai health center, and meet any additional board requirements. The psychologist may prescribe only psychotropic medicines, which include certain medicines for mental and emotional disorders but exclude narcotics. The supervising physician must be a licensed physician or psychiatrist who accepts professional responsibility for the psychologist's prescribing. The Act would take effect upon approval, and the pilot would run for three years.
The state health planning and development agency would report to lawmakers and recommend whether to expand the pilot, make prescribing authority permanent statewide, or end the pilot. The report concerns the pilot for qualified psychologists and must consider expansion to other underserved areas, permanent statewide authority, or termination. The report must include a recommendation among the three listed options. The report is due no later than 20 days before the regular legislative session convenes in 2030.
A psychologist approved for the pilot and registered under Hawaii law would be treated as a practitioner who may prescribe and dispense controlled substances within the pilot's limits. This applies only to a psychologist certified to prescribe through the pilot and does not allow that psychologist to request, receive, or sign for professional controlled-substance samples. The psychologist must follow the pilot program's requirements and limitations. The controlled substances must be prescribed and dispensed in the course of professional practice. The provision would take effect when the Act is approved.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 16Became law without the Governor's signature, Act 266, 07/16/2026, (Gov. Msg. No. 1370).Latest
- Jul 16Became law without the Governor's signature, Act 266, 07/16/2026, (Gov. Msg. No. 1370).Became Law
- May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
- May 8Enrolled to Governor.To Governor
- May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Moriwaki. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none).Major
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Grandinetti, Hashem, Hussey, Iwamoto, Kong, Perruso voting no (7) and none excused (0).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- Apr 29The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Keohokalole, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Matayoshi, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Apr 29Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 94-26).
- Apr 2948 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
- Apr 29Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 94-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- Apr 29Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- Apr 28Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-29-26 3:45PM; CR 329.
- Apr 23Senate Conferees Changed: Senator San Buenaventura added as Chair. Senator Fevella discharged as Conferee. Senator Kanuha discharged as Chair; Added as Member.
- Apr 23Received notice of change in Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 736).Minor
- Apr 22Senate Conferees Appointed: Kanuha Chair; Keohokalole Co-Chair; Fevella.
- Apr 22Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 723).Minor
- Apr 21House Conferees Appointed: Takayama, Matayoshi Co-Chairs; Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Garcia.
- Apr 21Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 800).Minor
- Apr 16Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 606).Minor
- Apr 16Senate disagrees with House amendments.Minor
- Apr 16Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).Minor
- Apr 14Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Kong voting no (2) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 10Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2117-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Apr 10Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
- Apr 9The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Grandinetti, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Kong; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 7Bill scheduled for decision making on Thursday, 04-09-26 2:00PM in conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Apr 2The committee(s) on CPC recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.Minor
- Mar 31Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 24Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1348-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 24Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2).Minor
- Mar 20The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Hartsfield, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Amato, Garcia; Noes: none; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 17Bill scheduled to be heard by HLT on Friday, 03-20-26 9:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 12Pass First ReadingMinor
- Mar 12Referred to HLT, CPC, referral sheet 17Minor
- Mar 10Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Moriwaki, Wakai. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 140) in amended form (SD 2).Minor
- Mar 6Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2909) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
- Mar 648 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
- Feb 26The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Lamosao.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 20The committee(s) on CPN will hold a public decision making on 02-26-26 9:45AM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
- Feb 11Reported from HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2198) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN.
- Feb 11Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN.Minor
- Feb 2The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 30The committee(s) on HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-02-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
- 2025
- Dec 8Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.Minor
- Jan 23Referred to HHS, CPN.Minor
- Jan 21Passed First Reading.Minor
- Jan 17Introduced.Introduced
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