Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 141 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health to establish a coordinated statewide effort to address fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

FASD occurs in babies born to mothers who consumed alcohol while pregnant. Although Hawaii had only eighty-five reported diagnosed cases since 1986, there exists a much larger potential group of undiagnosed and untreated individuals of all ages statewide whose mothers drank alcohol while pregnant. Your Committee finds that there is a need in our State for the establishment of a coordinated system of care and services of FASD, the most preventable cause of developmental disabilities.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 141, and recommends its adoption.