Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 7 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request that the Department of Health (DOH) propose and develop a comprehensive statewide strategic plan to address prevention and treatment of childhood obesity and promote healthy lifestyles in Hawaii.

The Department of Health provided testimony in support of this concurrent resolution.

Your Committee finds that there is a direct relationship between obesity and adverse medical conditions, and that healthy lifestyles help to prevent the incidence of childhood obesity. There are a diverse group of programs and organizations already engaged in various aspects of this effort, and there is a need to coordinate these elements through development of a strategic plan.

There is a need for sensitivity in the development of the strategic plan in order to assure that there is integration of the plan with statewide efforts such as those supported through the Tobacco Prevention and Control Fund, and to avoid conflict with other legislative directives.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by including the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii, and the Coalition for a Drug Free Hawaii for the purpose of assisting in the development of the strategic plan.

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 S.C.R. No. 7, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 7, H.D. 1.