Senate committee recommends passage of multiple consumer-protection bills; one health bill deferred

The Hawaii State Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection on Thursday, March 27, 2025, voted to recommend passage for six House measures and deferred one measure for further work. The decision-making meeting in Conference Room 229 at the Hawaii State Capitol used voice votes; several measures were passed unamended, one was passed with a single adopted amendment, and one was deferred to a later date.

The committee’s action matters because the measures cover consumer-facing topics — labeling, pharmacy and prescription regulation, travel insurance language, and motor-carrier rules — that affect businesses and consumers across Hawaii. The deferred health-care bill remains pending while committee staff await concurrence on proposed amendments from Maui Health.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 48, HD1, SD1 (coffee labeling): Committee recommendation — pass unamended. The chair and vice chair recorded aye votes; Senator Awan voted aye. Senators McAfee and Richards were excused. The committee announced the measure adopted by voice vote.

- House Bill 72, HD1, SD1 (pharmacy): Committee recommendation — pass unamended. Passed by voice vote; no reservations or objections were recorded on the record.

- House Bill 97, HD2, SD1 (travel insurance): Committee recommendation — pass with amendments. The committee adopted a proposed amendment submitted by Allianz that, on page 19, line 16, replaces the words “delivery of” with “sending.” The committee said the change makes that section consistent with section 7(c)(3) of the bill. Passed by voice vote; no objections were recorded on the transcript.

- House Bill 534, HD2, SD1 (labeling requirements): Committee recommendation — pass unamended. Passed by voice vote; no reservations or objections were recorded on the record.

- House Bill 799, HD2, SD1 (health care): Committee recommendation — decision making deferred to Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 10:05 a.m. in Conference Room 229. The transcript records that proposed amendments from Maui Health were under review and the committee deferred action while awaiting prior concurrence.

- House Bill 951, HD2, SD1 (prescription drugs): Committee recommendation — pass unamended. Passed by voice vote with no recorded reservations.

- House Bill 1422, HD2, SD1 (motor carriers): Committee recommendation — pass unamended. Passed by voice vote with no recorded reservations.

Procedure and votes

The committee conducted a decision-making session to issue recommendations on measures previously heard in subject-matter committees. Most measures on the agenda were disposed of by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tally in the transcript. On measures where individual votes were spoken on the record, the committee recorded the chair and vice chair voting “aye,” and Senator Awan voting “aye.” Senators McAfee and Richards were recorded as excused during the meeting.

Next steps

The committee set a follow-up decision-making time for the deferred health-care measure: Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 10:05 a.m. in Conference Room 229 at the State Capitol. Measures recommended by the committee will move to the full Senate (or to the next procedural step) according to legislative process and scheduling.

(Reporting note: The committee’s public livestream and the meeting transcript provided the record summarized here.)