Senate Bill 3025 was introduced during the 2026 Hawai‘i Legislative Session for the third consecutive year, and because legislators had seen the bill before, it gave testifiers more room to focus on substance rather than introductions. Bill hearings drew testimony from a wide range of supporters, including healthcare organizations, community groups focused on affordability for working families, workforce development and entrepreneurship advocates, building supply organizations, and individual residents.

Data from our Hawaiʻi Quality of Life and Well-Being Dashboard helped lawmakers understand the scope of the problem. The 2024 statewide survey, found that 19% of the 6,433 respondents — close to 1 in 5 — currently held medical debt of $500 or more, a higher rate than the national figure of 15% of adults owing at least $250 (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2024). Twenty percent of respondents said they had delayed medical care because of cost, and 12% said they'd needed to see a doctor but couldn't afford it.

The survey also found a clear relationship between debt and overall health: respondents with the least medical debt reported the fewest physically and mentally unhealthy days, while those carrying debt reported more of both.