STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1520-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 110
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which
was referred H.C.R. No. 110 entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CONVENING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY
     THE IMPLICATIONS OF INCREASED ACCESS TO STERILE SYRINGES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to request that the
Director of the Department of Health convene a task force to
study the implications of increased access to sterile syringes
and submit a report of findings and recommendations to the
Legislature.

     Testimony in support of this resolution was received from
the State Department of Health, Department of Human Services, the
Governor's Committee on HIV/AIDS, Hawaii HIV Prevention Community
Planning Group, The Hawaii Pharmacists Association, and Hawaii
Medical Association.

     Your Committee finds that increased access to sterile
syringes has consistently been shown to reduce transmission of
HIV (AIDS), hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, thereby reducing the
financial and human costs of these life-threatening contagious
diseases.  Research has also shown that increased access to
sterile syringes does not promote increased drug use.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to

 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1520-00
                                 Page 2

 
this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose
of H.C.R. No. 110, and recommends its adoption.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Judiciary &
                                   Hawaiian Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   ERIC G. HAMAKAWA, Chair