HI SR4

Requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to conduct a study examining the necessity of Hawaii's Certificate of Need (CON) program under chapter 323D, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Study must address the role of the CON program, whether certain facilities or services should be exempt, and modifications implemented in other states that may benefit Hawaii.

CON program, established in 1975, requires state health agency approval for health care facility construction, expansion, and major capital expenditures; federal mandate for such programs was repealed in 1987.

Directs the Legislative Reference Bureau to make recommendations to eliminate or modify the CON process and submit findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the 2022 Regular Session.

Criticisms cited against the CON program include restricting competition and consumer choice, hampering healthcare innovation, inconsistent administration, and failure to control healthcare costs.