Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2076 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve the provision of medical services to youths who do not have a parent or guardian to authorize medical procedures.

Hawaii Primary Care Association, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Waikiki Health Center, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Blueprint for Change, Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, and Hale Kipa supported this bill. Hawaii Medical Association supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that there is a population of teens who are unable to receive necessary medical assistance due to the fact that they are without a parent or guardian to act on their behalf. Many of these youths have fled homes to free themselves from physical, sexual, and mental abuses, or have been thrown out by their parent or guardian. It is important that these troubled individuals be provided the medical treatments they need to ensure their health and survival. To better provide services to minors without parents or guardians to authorize medical attention, your Committee has amended this bill by:

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. 2076, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2076, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.