Bill > SB1211

This bill establishes a state breast milk bank under the Hawaii Department of Health to help parents and guardians provide breast milk to their infant children. The Department of Health will be responsible for creating the breast milk bank and developing rules for its operation, including establishing eligibility criteria for administering the bank and creating standards for screening, processing, transporting, and distributing human breast milk. The bill creates a special fund for the breast milk bank, which will be financed through user fees, potential federal grants, legislative appropriations, and accrued interest. The bank may charge reasonable fees to users and can either operate the bank directly or contract with a qualified entity to manage its operations. The bill includes appropriations from general state revenues to initially fund the special fund and provides for the bank's operational expenses in fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and aims to provide a structured, accessible way for families to obtain breast milk for their infants through a state-managed system.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1211&year=2026