Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 598, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit the Department of Health to establish a statewide Hawaii birth defects program.

The purpose of this program is to collect and disseminate data to help prevent or ameliorate birth defects, and provide families who have children with birth defects with information on the services available to them. Any medical information collected shall be used only for research, and the identity of the individuals shall be kept confidential.

The bill also establishes a birth defects special fund, to be funded by the issuance of commemorative souvenir birth and marriage certificates. The fund shall be used for the operating expenses for the birth defects program.

Birth defects occur in approximately five per cent of all births in Hawaii. Your Committee finds that the birth defects program will provide significant assistance to families who have children with birth defects. Your Committee approves of the use of the special fund to fund the operation of the birth defects program.

Your Committee has amended the bill by changing the appropriation to $1 in order to promote continuing discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 598, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 598, S.D. 2.