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.C.R. No. 118 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to have the Superintendent of Education, with the assistance of the Director of Health to establish a one-year pilot program in selected public elementary schools on the Waianae Coast to provide free eye examinations to children entering kindergarten, or any other elementary grade level if entering the state public school system for the first time, with a view to screening for eye health and vision problems, and ensuring that students are not erroneously diagnosed as having attention deficient hyperactivity disorder.

Your committee received testimony in support of this resolution from the Hawaii State Department of Health and the Superintendent of the Department of Education, Patricia Hamamoto.

Your committee finds that the intent of this resolution will provide appropriate treatment, including prescription eyeglasses, for tested children who do not have insurance coverage.

Accordingly, your Committee notes that Hawaii's children issues are of paramount importance to the State, in that, the inability to see in order to read is a major barrier to successful learning.

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. 118 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Education.