---
type: "Bill"
title: "RELATING TO FAMILIES."
description: "Prohibits the disability of a parent or caregiver from being the sole factor in determining fitness as a foster parent, adoptive parent, guardian, parent seeking custody or visitation, or provider of a safe family home. (CD1)"
jurisdiction: "us/states/hi"
legislature: "Hawaii Legislature"
session: "2019 Regular Session"
identifier: "SB 947"
citation: "Hawaii SB 947 (2019 Regular Session)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Department of Human Services", "Family Court", "Parental Rights", "Disabled Persons"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Baker", "Gabbard", "Kim", "RIVIERE", "RUDERMAN", "S. Chang"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 49
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2019-01-18"
last_action: "2019-07-09"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/9267f990-29c7-4f68-a46a-4f3233be75ad"
source_url: "http://capitol.hawaii.gov/Archives/measure_indiv_Archives8-12.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=947&year=2019"
source_hash: "999b2d67d555254fecde959ccd9db28518fe2c6ddd99fe0323ad7981a27414da"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-hi"]
---

# Hawaii SB 947 (2019 Regular Session) — RELATING TO FAMILIES.

Prohibits the disability of a parent or caregiver from being the sole factor in determining fitness as a foster parent, adoptive parent, guardian, parent seeking custody or visitation, or provider of a safe family home. (CD1)

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **SB947** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/SB947_.HTM)
2. **SB947_CD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/SB947_CD1_.HTM)
3. **SB947_HD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2019/bills/SB947_HD1_.HTM)

## Votes

- The committee(s) on HMS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **5–0** (pass) · upper
- The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. — **3–0** (pass) · lower
- The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **4–0** (pass) · upper
- The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **3–0** (pass) · upper
- The committees on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **7–0** (pass) · lower
- The committees on JUD recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **11–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Baker — primary (person)
- Gabbard — primary (person)
- Kim — primary (person)
- RIVIERE — primary (person)
- RUDERMAN — primary (person)
- S. Chang — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2019-01-18** Introduced. `introduction`
- **2019-01-22** Passed First Reading. `reading-1`
- **2019-01-24** Referred to HMS, JDC. `referral-committee`
- **2019-02-01** The committee(s) on HMS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-19 3:10PM in conference room 016.
- **2019-02-04** The committee(s) on HMS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HMS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Ruderman, K. Rhoads, Ihara, Riviere, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-02-12** Reported from HMS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 234) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
- **2019-02-12** Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
- **2019-02-21** The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-26-19 9:00AM in conference room 016.
- **2019-02-26** The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) K. Rhoads, Wakai, Gabbard, Kim; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-03-01** Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1019) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
- **2019-03-01** One Day Notice 03-05-19.
- **2019-03-05** Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Harimoto). Transmitted to House. `passage`
- **2019-03-05** Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 304) in amended form (SD 1). `introduction`
- **2019-03-07** Pass First Reading `reading-1`
- **2019-03-07** Referred to HSH, JUD, referral sheet 27 `referral-committee`
- **2019-03-12** Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Friday, 03-15-19 9:00AM in House conference room 329.
- **2019-03-15** The committees on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) San Buenaventura, Nakamura, Belatti, B. Kobayashi, Mizuno, Say, Tokioka; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-03-20** Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1453) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JUD.
- **2019-03-20** Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JUD with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Belatti, Yamane excused (2). `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2019-03-27** Bill scheduled to be heard by JUD on Friday, 03-29-19 2:05PM in House conference room 325.
- **2019-03-29** The committee(s) on JUD recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-02-19 at 2:00pm.
- **2019-03-29** Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-02-19 2:00PM in conference room 325.
- **2019-04-02** The committee(s) on JUD recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-03-19 2:05pm.
- **2019-04-02** Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 04-03-19 2:05PM in conference room 325.
- **2019-04-03** The committees on JUD recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) C. Lee, San Buenaventura, Brower, Creagan, Lowen, McKelvey, Morikawa, Say, Takayama, Yamane, Thielen; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-04-05** Reported from JUD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2133), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- **2019-04-05** Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Eli, Mizuno, Nishimoto excused (3). Transmitted to Senate. `passage`
- **2019-04-09** Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 677). `introduction`
- **2019-04-09** Senate disagrees with House amendments.
- **2019-04-09** Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 885).
- **2019-04-12** Senate Conferees Appointed: Ruderman Chair; K. Rhoads Co-Chair; Riviere, Fevella.
- **2019-04-12** Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 899).
- **2019-04-15** House Conferees Appointed: San Buenaventura, C. Lee Co-Chairs; Ward.
- **2019-04-15** Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 809).
- **2019-04-17** Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-18-19 2:15PM in conference room 225.
- **2019-04-18** The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Ruderman, K. Rhoads, Riviere; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2019-04-18** The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) San Buenaventura, C. Lee, Ward; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
- **2019-04-24** Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 7).
- **2019-04-24** 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-26-19.
- **2019-04-24** Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 7) as amended in (CD 1).
- **2019-04-24** Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 04-26-19.
- **2019-04-26** Deferred one day 04-30-19.
- **2019-04-26** Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
- **2019-04-26** Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 965).
- **2019-04-30** Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
- **2019-05-02** Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 883).
- **2019-05-03** Enrolled to Governor. `executive-receipt`
- **2019-07-09** Act 259, on 07/05/2019 (Gov. Msg. No. 1361). `executive-signature`
- **2019-07-09** Act 259, 07/05/2019 (Gov. Msg. No. 1361). `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/9267f990-29c7-4f68-a46a-4f3233be75ad`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Hawaii legislature records).