STAND. COM. REP. NO.96-02
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: H.B. No. 2521
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2521 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTROL OF DISEASE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to:
(1) Allow the Department of Health (DOH) to enter into agreements with health care facilities and providers to assist with epidemic control activities;
(2) Require individuals and entities to provide information required to locate people suspected of being exposed to a dangerous disease; and
(3) Establish rights for individuals quarantined to prevent transmission of a dangerous infectious disease and grant DOH authority to sequester contaminated articles.
DOH and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii testified in support of this measure. Kaiser Permanente supported the intent of this measure.
Your Committee finds that all other states are currently proposing similar legislation and Hawaii's legislation is considered a great model. Legislation is necessary to protect the health and safety of Hawaii's residents and visitors because of current world events and potential bioterrorism and epidemics.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Clarifying the costs that health plans are required to pay for quarantined individuals; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.
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. 2521, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2521, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
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