WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SB 3132

RELATING TO SYNDROMIC SURVEILLANCE.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ron Kouchi

Hawaii bill establishing syndromic surveillance system to detect disease outbreaks early through aggregated symptom data monitoring across healthcare providers with amendments pending.

Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
#doh #syndromicsurveillancedata #hospitals #submissionrequirements #emergencydepartments #statesyndromicsurveillancedatareportingsystem
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 3132

Legislative bill overview

SB 3132 establishes or modifies Hawaii's syndromic surveillance system—a public health monitoring program that tracks patterns of symptoms and health-related visits (rather than confirmed diagnoses) to detect potential disease outbreaks early. The bill has been recommended for passage with amendments by the Health and Human Services Committee.

Why is this important

Syndromic surveillance allows health authorities to identify emerging health threats—from disease outbreaks to bioterrorism—before confirmed diagnoses are reported, potentially enabling faster public health response. However, the system requires collection and analysis of sensitive health data across providers and facilities, raising questions about privacy protections and data governance.

Potential points of contention

  • Data privacy and security: Collecting symptom data from multiple healthcare sources creates centralized health information that could be vulnerable to breaches or misuse if safeguards are insufficient
  • Scope of data collection: The bill's specific definition of what constitutes "syndromic" data and which facilities must participate could either be too broad (privacy concerns) or too narrow (effectiveness concerns)
  • Oversight and transparency: Questions about who controls the system, what oversight exists, and whether the public has access to information about how their health data is being used

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.