Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 100 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to establish the Hawaii Autism Center of Excellence within the University of Hawaii School of Medicine and makes an appropriation to establish such a center.

Your Committee recognizes that autism is a highly complex neuro-biological disorder and that affected persons require focused support and services in order to achieve effective remediation of the disorder. Your Committee further understands that presently, no such multidisciplinary center exists in Hawaii, and that such a center would provide a means for continuing research, training, and coordination of services for persons suffering from this complex syndrome and may relieve the stress placed on the family by such an ailment.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, the Autism Society of America, and various citizens. The Department of Health, the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, the Autism Society of Hawaii, and the Hawaii Coalition for Health all offered testimony in support of the measure but made various recommendations to amend the bill regarding the funding for the center and the creation and makeup of the advisory committee responsible for advising the center on various matters. The Department of Education offered testimony in support of the measure but deferred to the University of Hawaii regarding funding priorities.

Although your Committee understands the concerns and amendment proposals by the various organizations, your Committee felt that further discussion regarding these amendment proposals was necessary and that those matters could be taken up by the Committee on Higher Education.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 100 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Higher Education.