Relating To The Transition Of The Oahu Regional Health Care System From The Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Into The Department Of Health.
HB1122 would reverse the planned transfer of the Oahu Regional Health Care System from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) into the Department of Health (DOH). The bill repeals the 2021 transition provisions that had been added to the Hawaii Revised Statutes and removes the related temporary governance, budgeting, personnel, working-group, and transition-framework requirements tied to that move. In effect, it restores the prior legal structure by eliminating the mandate that Oahu’s regional health care system become a DOH division/branch and by repealing the associated statutory changes that were designed to carry out that transfer.
The bill also amends HRS §323F-7.6, which governs transitions of HHSC regional systems or facilities to new entities. It removes the specific option allowing a regional system to transition into a division or branch of a state executive department, while leaving other transition options in place, such as nonprofit, for-profit, municipal, or public benefit entities. The bill further repeals Chapter 321, Part XLVI, and requires the Oahu Regional Health Care System and DOH to enter into an agreement by December 31, 2025, concerning the care of low-acuity patients in DOH custody. The measure is framed as a repeal and cleanup bill rather than a new restructuring plan.
HB1122 would change state law by undoing the statutory framework created in Act 212, SLH 2021, that was intended to move the Oahu Regional Health Care System into DOH. It would eliminate the transition board/working group structure, the special budget and personnel transfer provisions, and the temporary exemptions and authorities that had been granted during the transition period. It would also narrow the general HHSC transition statute by removing the executive-department option, thereby limiting future transitions to other entity types unless further amended by law. The practical effect would be to keep Oahu’s regional health care operations under HHSC rather than completing the previously authorized DOH integration, while still directing coordination between Oahu and DOH on low-acuity patient care.
Based on the bill text and report description, the overall sentiment appears to favor stopping or undoing the Oahu-to-DOH transfer rather than continuing it. The measure is presented as a repeal of the prior mandate and as a way to preserve or restore the existing HHSC structure. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, but the bill’s framing suggests support from those who believe the transition should not proceed and a likely interest in maintaining operational continuity at the Oahu regional health care system.
The main point of contention is the governance and ownership of the Oahu Regional Health Care System: whether it should remain within HHSC or be moved into DOH. Related disputes likely include how to handle employees, liabilities, budgets, and oversight during any transition, since the repealed provisions had addressed all of those issues in detail. Another likely issue is the policy question of low-acuity patient care in DOH custody, which the bill preserves through a required agreement even as it repeals the broader transfer. Because no hearing testimony or votes are included, the specific positions of stakeholders are not documented here, but the affected parties would include HHSC, DOH, Oahu regional facilities such as Leahi Hospital and Maluhia, employees and unions, and state agencies involved in finance, personnel, and procurement.