We, as residents of Hawaii and advocates for health equity, are personally moved by the need in our communities for healthcare and dental care for our families and neighbors.

SB1035/HB1035 - a bill in the House and Senate to remove the taxation on healthcare (which includes dental) services for our military families (Tricare), elderly and disabled adults (Medicare), and citizens with limited or no employment (Medicaid) will enable more doctors and dentists to establish a practice on Maui (and on other neighbor islands.) Neighbor island and rural practices have more private practices and higher proportion of government insurances so GET is selectively shutting down these practices. And SB1035 will help to keep rural clinics operational. Maui is at critical and crisis levels with 43% shortage before COVID pandemic and before the fires. In the last 6 months, we are losing half a dozen anesthesiologists, 1 of only 2 neurosurgeons, multiple primary care docs and ob-gyn, and no full time gastroenterologist for years now.

This legislation has the power to improve health equity by demonstrating governmental resolve for equitable, universal access to care.

In recent years, we have witnessed how disasters like the Lahaina fire have left many unemployed and in dire need of medical assistance. Yet, these victims are burdened with additional healthcare taxes that further strain their already precarious situation. The removal of these taxes will not only provide immediate relief but also promote increased employment among healthcare workers across Hawaii.

The GET Exemption proposed in SB1035/HB1035 can significantly improve affordability and accessibility of services while strengthening Hawaii's economy. It can also build further resiliency into our strategically important military personnel and veterans by ensuring that our military and veteran families receive adequate healthcare.

This bill and iterations of it have been heard in our legislature for many years, each year receiving unanimous support from all the committee members that hear it.  By recruiting new healthcare professionals to Maui, this will be an economic boost to our island’s economy and many more well paying jobs will be created and the tax base will expand. 

The House Finance Committee and Senate Ways and Means Committee will release for this bill, so this bill, we hope, is going to be unanimously supported by the Conference Committee.   Rep. Yamashita will be the deciding factor as the House FIN chair. We call upon Representative Kyle Yamashita, House Finance Chair, and other legislators on the Conference Committee for SB1035/HB1035 to take decisive action towards removing this undue burden from those who need it most - our military families, elderly, disabled adults, disaster victims, and unemployed citizens.

Please call Rep Yamashitaʻs office at 808-586-6330 and leave a message stating your support for SB1035. 

Here are the Conference Committee Members for SB1035:

Senator San Buenaventura 808-586-6890 sensanbuenaventura@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Hashimoto   808-586-7344   senhashimoto@capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Keohokalole 808-587-7215      senkeohokalole@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep Daniel Holt    808-586-6180    repholt@capitol.hawaii.gov. 
Rep Rachelle Lamosao. 808-586-6520  replamosao@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep Jenna Takenouchi 808-586-9415 reptakenouchi@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep Diamond Garcia 808-586-8500    repgarcia@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep Andrew Garrett 808-586-8475   repgarrett@capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep Dee Morikawa  808-586-6280    repmorikawa@capitol.hawaii.gov