STAND. COM. REP. NO.837-02
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: S.B. No. 2227
S.D. 1
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 S.B. No. 2227, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR NEIGHBOR ISLAND DENTAL CARE,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health (DOH) to provide dental care services to uninsured residents on the islands of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii.
The State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Primary Care Association (HPCA), Kauai Dental Health Task Force, Mental Health Association in Hawaii, Hana Community Health Center, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. DOH and the State Health Planning and Development Agency supported the intent of this measure.
Your Committee finds that access to dental care on the islands of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii is limited compared to access to care on Oahu. Additionally, there are more uninsured individuals on the neighbor islands.
Your Committee's intent is for the funds appropriated to DOH to be directed to HPCA for implementation and to:
(1) Have the majority of the funds go to individuals who need dental care with minimum administrative costs and with the greatest flexibility; and
(2) Include community and rural health centers regardless of whether or not they are members of HPCA.
Your Committee has amended this bill by:
(1) Removing references to district health offices; 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 S.B. No. 2227, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2227,
S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
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