Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2024 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to place the dental health division within the Department of Health's health resources administration, reduce the number of employees of the dental health division, and redirect dental health division funds to be used for the purchase of services to monitor dental advocacy.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Primary Care Association. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, State Health Planning and Development Agency, the Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Special Olympics Hawaii, Mental Health Association in Hawaii, Hawaii Dental Association, and thirty-five private citizens.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is in the midst of a crisis involving very poor dental care as the services being currently provided are not enough to service the residents who qualify. It is not this Committee's intention to eliminate dental services, it is quite the opposite. Sometimes, things need to be changed before they can get better. This measure is a step in making dental care in Hawaii more accessible to all of its qualifying residents.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by delaying the effective date three years, and requiring the dental health division to report to the 2003 and 2004 legislature with recommendations for a more comprehensive dental health plan as well as proposed legislation.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2024, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2024, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.