STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2822

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  H.B. No. 1836
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred H.B. No. 1836 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT REPEALING SECTION 327E-13(G), HAWAII
     REVISED STATUTES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to provide that pregnant
women are covered by the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Executive Office on Aging, Hawaii State Commission on
the Status of Women, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii
Women's Coalition, Hawaii Women Lawyers, Hawaii Medical
Association, and a private individual.  Testimony in opposition
was received from the Hawaii Right to Life, Hawaii Catholic
Conference, Christian Voice of Hawaii, and a private individual.

     This measure repeals the exclusion from chapter 327E, Hawaii
Revised Statutes (HRS), for a patient who is diagnosed as
pregnant by the attending physician.  Your Committee believes
that an advance health care directive by a woman should be valid
if she later becomes pregnant or if she executes a directive
during her pregnancy.  A woman should have the right to
predetermine her medical treatment, including treatment during
her pregnancy, if she should lack capacity to make a health care
decision for herself.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2822
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     Your Committee believes that future measures concerning
advanced health care directives should require that the optional
form under section 327E-16, HRS, include a statement that if a
woman becomes pregnant then the woman may make provisions for her
unborn fetus.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 1836 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and
be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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