STAND. COM. REP. NO. 485

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 547
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and
Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No.
547, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ANATOMICAL GIFTS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to educate the public and to
increase the numbers of organ and tissue donors in Hawaii by
amending Hawaii's Uniform Anatomical Gift Act to require, among
other things, that all acute care hospitals at or near the time
of every death to report to the Organ Procurement Organization
(OPO) to determine suitability for organ donation of the
individual in question. 

     Testimony in support of this bill was received from Hawaii
Nurses' Association, the Organ Donor Center, the National Kidney
Foundation of Hawaii, St. Francis Medical Center, Healthcare
Association, and numerous interested individuals including organ
donors and recipients.  The Department of Health supported the
intent of the bill but expressed serious concerns about
additional costs that may be incurred by having the Advisory
Committee under the Department's administrative umbrella.
Lieutenant Governor Mazie Hirono supported the intent of the bill
but does not believe it necessary to require by statute that the
Lieutenant Governor actively promote this effort or to administer
a special fund.


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 485
                                 Page 2

 
     Your Committees find that this bill will increase the number
of patients given the opportunity to donate organs, expand public
awareness and education on this life-saving issue, and establish
protocols sensitive to religious and family concerns surrounding
organ donation.  For purposes of clarity and style, your
Committees have made technical, nonsubstantive amendments to the
bill.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary and
Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your
Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
547, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be
referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto
as H.B. No. 547, H.D. 2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Consumer
                                   Protection and Commerce and
                                   Judiciary and Hawaiian
                                   Affairs,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
PAUL T. OSHIRO, Chair              RON MENOR, Chair