Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2682 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Health to provide vaccines, education, and treatment to the homeless for hepatitis, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center; The Center; Hepatitis Prevention, Education, Treatment and Support Network of Hawaii; Hepatitis Foundation International; Evaluation Focused Consulting; Hale Kipa; Kaiser Permanente; Department of Infectious Diseases; Life Foundation; and twenty individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committees find that the homeless are often in danger of exposure to infectious diseases and need to have access to vaccines. Hepatitis is one of the most vaccine-preventable diseases. Your Committees further find that one large hepatitis outbreak will more than justify the cost of the vaccine. The appropriation provided in this measure will vaccinate approximately five hundred individuals. It is further anticipated that existing outreach workers and community clinics will be utilized to identify those most at risk and administer the vaccine.

Your Committees adopted the recommendations of the Hepatitis Prevention, Education, Treatment and Support Network of Hawaii and amended this measure by narrowing the scope from requiring the Department of Health to provide vaccinations for all infectious diseases to making an appropriation to the Department of Health to provide hepatitis A and B vaccines to those at risk among the homeless population.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2682, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2682, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.