The legislation bars insurers from excluding gender affirming treatments from coverage and establishes a state commission on the status of LGBTQ people in Hawaii.

As the U.S. Supreme Court ponders abortion rights, Hawaii women can still buy medication to end pregnancy via online providers.

House Bill 2405, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, would prevent insurers from denying gender-affirming treatments due to “cosmetic” exclusions.

The state health director said the lack of a travel history “tells us that monkeypox is probably in our community.”

Getting to and from dialysis is already a challenge for some rural Hawaii residents. Sea level rise is expected to make things worse.

The presumptive infection was found in an Oahu resident who had recently traveled to an area with confirmed cases.

Research and pilot projects on the Big Island and Maui indicate that specially trained canines are proving to be highly reliable in detecting the virus — and invasive species.

Meanwhile, Hawaii lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would have mandated insurance coverage for mental health screenings.

The number of dialysis centers in the islands is increasing to meet the need as more patients suffer from kidney failure.

The decision was based on recommendations from health experts amid a spike in Covid-19 cases statewide, the university said.