Senate Commerce Committee advances wide slate of House bills; splits on sports-wagering measure

The Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection advanced a broad package of House measures on April 2, 2025, approving committee recommendations on bills addressing health care, education funding, licensing and taxation while narrowly passing House Bill 1308, a measure to regulate sports wagering.

The committee adopted recommendations on scores of bills, most with no substantive floor debate, and in many cases instructed that committee reports reflect requested appropriations or agency amendments. The measures include amendments requested by advocacy groups and state departments and several appropriation items; the committee recorded limited recorded dissent on a small number of measures.

Among the items the committee passed with amendments or instructions to include agency language were HB 700 (inserting clarifying language relating to dementia data collection and standardized cognitive assessments per Alzheimer’s Association testimony), HB 242 (moved reporting deadline from 2026 to 2027 per Department of Health testimony), HB 303 (adopting technical changes and a clarified definition of a nationally accredited pharmacy residency program per the Hawaii Pharmacists Association), and HB 1179 (adopting Department of Human Services amendments relating to the Med-QUEST…