STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1123-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.R. No. 90
                                     




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

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Education, to which was
referred H.R. No. 90 entitled: 

     "HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND
     EDUCATION TO ASSESS THE PREVALENCE OF HEAD LICE AND THE
     CURRENT USE OF CHEMICAL TREATMENT FOR HEAD LICE IN HAWAII'S
     SCHOOLS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to address the problem of
head lice, or "uku," in Hawaii's schools by requesting the
Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (DOE)
to:

     (1)  Assess the prevalence of head lice and the current use
          of chemical treatment for head lice in Hawaii's
          schools;

     (2)  Develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide "Uku
          Eradication Program"; and

     (3)  Submit a report of their actions pursuant to this
          resolution to the Legislature no later than twenty days
          prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2001.

     DOH submitted testimony that it does not support this
measure because chemical treatment for head lice is not used in
any of the DOE schools.  Furthermore, DOH believes that the
method of treatment families use to treat identified head lice is
a matter of family choice.


 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1123-00
                                 Page 2

 
     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Health and Education that are attached to this
report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of
H.R. No. 90 and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on
Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Health and
                                   Education,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
KEN ITO, Chair                     ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair