Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 3139, H.D. 3, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide a system for children ages 4-6 years to be screened for vision, hearing, and development prior to entry into pre-school or kindergarten and to develop a Hawaii childhood screening initiative task force to plan and implement screening for children from birth to eight years of age.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, the Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Blueprint for Change, Good Beginnings Alliance, and Family Voices of Hawai`i.

Your Committee finds that early childhood screening before entry into pre-school or kindergarten is necessary for early detection and intervention of developmental and psychosocial delays in children. Early intervention plays a critical role in improving a child's eventual success in school and in relationships.

Your Committee further finds that establishing a childhood screening initiative task force is essential to the development of state policies, referral protocols, and evaluating the screening system.

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. 3139, H.D. 3, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.