Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 548, H.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to extend the sunset date of the organ and tissue education fee, the Hawaii organ and tissue education special fund, and the Department of Health's reporting requirement related thereto, to June 30, 2006.

Testimony supporting this measure was received from the Department of Health, Kaiser Permanente, Hawaii Medical Association, Organ Donor Center of Hawaii, Bayanihan/MOTTEP of Hawaii, Congress of Visayan Organizations, Hawaii Coalition on Donation, Transplant Association of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that in passing Act 88, Session Laws of Hawaii 1999 (Act 88), the Legislature intended "to increase the number of individuals being asked to donate organs, to expand educational efforts across all ethnic, religious, and age groups, to increase the supply of organs for waiting transplant recipients, and to create a special fund which will be used to promote public education programs on organ, tissue, and eye donation" (Act 88, §1). Your Committee finds that Act 88 has been successful in many respects although an organ shortage continues to exist.

Clearly, the current successes of Hawaii's organ donation programs resulting from Act 88 are largely due to the volunteerism, diligence, and support of the public, and facilitated by the funds generated by the donations made during motor vehicle registrations, and otherwise. This measure only extends this program for another three years.

Your Committee, however, believes that by making permanent the existence of the Hawaii organ and tissue education special fund and continuing to allow donations to be made during motor vehicle registrations, Hawaii will continue to increase the number of organ and tissue donors, thereby saving lives and enhancing the quality of life for many persons well into the future.

Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with the provisions of Senate Bill No. 739, which makes permanent the provisions of Act 88 that establish the Hawaii organ and tissue education special fund and allow individuals to donate $1 to the fund upon registering their motor vehicle.

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. 548, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 548, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.