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HI HB1876
Bill
Status
Introduced
1/26/2026
Primary Sponsor
Adrian Tam
Click for details
AI Summary
- Raises the age threshold for Hawaii's conversion therapy ban from 18 to 25 years old, prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from practicing or advertising conversion therapy for individuals under 25
- Creates an exemption for "talk therapy in the form of pure speech" from the conversion therapy prohibition while maintaining the ban on aversive techniques like electric shocks, food/liquid deprivation, and chemically induced nausea
- Defines "aversive techniques" as methods using unpleasant stimuli to induce behavioral changes through physical interventions
- Takes effect only if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the 10th Circuit's decision in Chiles v. Salazar (2024), which upheld Colorado's conversion therapy ban against a free speech challenge
- Requires the Hawaii Attorney General to certify the Supreme Court ruling to the revisor of statutes before the amendments become operative
Legislative Description
Relating To Mental Health.
Conversion Therapy
Last Action
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2/20/2026
Committee Referrals
Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs2/20/2026
Consumer Protection & Commerce1/26/2026
Full Bill Text
No bill text available