RELATING TO EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE LICENSURE WAIVERS.
HB2552 creates a statutory emergency licensure framework for healthcare professionals who are licensed in other states, territories, or the District of Columbia to practice in Hawaii during a state or local emergency. The bill applies to physicians, physician assistants, nurses, EMS personnel, pharmacists, mental health counselors, and other professionals designated by the Department of Health, so long as they are in good standing, have no disqualifying disciplinary history, and are affiliated with an emergency-response or healthcare entity. It also allows eligible out-of-state practitioners to provide telehealth services without an in-person visit or preexisting patient relationship, subject to home-jurisdiction standards and federal privacy law.
The bill directs the Department of Health to maintain a public online registry, require rapid self-registration and verification, coordinate license checks with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and adopt rules to implement the program. Emergency authorization would end when the emergency declaration ends or after 60 days, unless extended by the governor, and the department could revoke authorization for misconduct. The bill also includes reporting requirements to the legislature on usage, outcomes, and recommendations, and it preserves existing rights and proceedings while taking effect upon approval.
HB2552 would amend chapter 321, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding a new emergency healthcare licensure flexibility section that temporarily overrides normal Hawaii licensing requirements during declared emergencies. It would expand the pool of available medical and behavioral health providers in disaster response settings, while preserving Hawaii malpractice rules and limiting practice to the provider’s home-jurisdiction scope and standards. The bill also creates new administrative duties for the Department of Health and related agencies, including credential verification, public registration, rulemaking, and legislative reporting.
The bill appears generally supportive and pragmatic in tone, reflecting a policy goal of improving Hawaii’s emergency response capacity by reducing delays in bringing in outside healthcare workers. The bill text emphasizes coordination with the military, the American Red Cross, and other emergency partners, suggesting broad interest in operational flexibility during disasters. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or amendment debate in the available materials.
The main potential points of contention are likely to be patient safety, oversight, and the scope of temporary practice authority. The bill addresses these concerns by requiring active good-standing licenses, excluding practitioners with disciplinary histories, limiting practice to home-jurisdiction standards, and allowing immediate revocation for violations or criminal conduct. Another possible issue is the expansion of telehealth without an existing provider-patient relationship, though the bill attempts to mitigate that by requiring compliance with privacy laws and transfer of records to Hawaii-licensed providers when needed.