Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2724, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to extend the continuum of services previously provided to special needs children with developmental delays from birth to age three, to those children from age three up to age five.

Specifically, this bill requires the Department of Health to develop a statewide, coordinated, multidisciplinary program with a continuum of services to meet the needs of children ages three to five years with developmental delays, including Down syndrome, whose developmental age is less than their chronological age. Parents are given the choice to opt for services provided by the Department of Education rather than the Department of Health. The bill further appropriates an unspecified amount to the Department of Health to establish this program of services.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by delaying the effective date of the program to July 1, 2007, and by making several technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2724, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2724, S.D. 2.