Relating To Changes To Responsibilities Of The Department Of Health Concerning Patients, The County Of Kalawao, And The Kalaupapa Settlement.
SB1432 reorganizes state responsibilities for Kalaupapa and the county of Kalawao in anticipation of the eventual passing of the last remaining full- or part-time patient resident. The bill establishes the Kalaupapa State Historical Area to preserve and interpret the settlement’s history, culture, and environment, and it directs the Department of Health (DOH) to continue providing services to Hansen’s disease patients living in the community outside Kalaupapa. It also requires the governor to proclaim the date of the last patient’s passing, after which certain parts of the bill take effect one year later.
The bill would repeal or revise a large number of existing provisions in Chapter 326, HRS, that govern Kalawao as a special county under DOH control, including provisions on patient transfer, employment, store operations, fishing exemptions, photography restrictions, and the county’s unique governance structure. It also makes conforming amendments across the code to remove references to Kalawao as a separate county in election, taxation, emergency planning, liquor, insurance, and other statutes, while shifting Kalaupapa into the county of Maui. The bill further requires future planning for any permanent transfer of authority over Kalaupapa to include designated community organizations, including one selected in consultation with the Molokai community.
SB1432 would substantially alter Hawaii Revised Statutes by ending Kalawao’s status as a separate county and folding the settlement into Maui for most legal purposes, while creating a new state historical area under Chapter 6E. It would also preserve DOH authority over Hansen’s disease-related services generally, but narrow and modernize the statutory framework by repealing many obsolete or settlement-specific provisions tied to the historic patient colony. Numerous cross-references in state law would need updating to reflect the new county structure and the phased transition triggered by the last resident’s passing.
The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support in committee, with the bill passing Senate Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senate Health and Human Services, Senate Judiciary, and Senate Ways and Means without any dissenting votes. The bill’s findings and structure suggest a broadly sympathetic approach focused on dignity, historical preservation, and orderly transition rather than immediate administrative change. No committee transcript is available, but the amendments and unanimous votes indicate general agreement on the need to plan for Kalaupapa’s future.
The main point of potential contention is the future governance of Kalaupapa and whether the county of Kalawao should be permanently reunited with Maui, which the bill notes reflects only preliminary sentiments from some Maui County residents. The legislation also raises transition issues for stakeholders concerned with historical preservation, cultural stewardship, environmental remediation, and community input, especially regarding who should have a role in any permanent transfer of authority. Another possible area of concern is the repeal of long-standing special protections and operational rules for the settlement, although the bill offsets that by preserving services and creating a historical area.