STAND. COM. REP. NO.  256

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 537

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 537 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERINATAL CARE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to continue to improve perinatal, delivery, and postpartum care to women with a history of substance abuse by appropriating $200,000 in each year of the 2007-2009 fiscal biennium for the Department of Human Services (DHS) to contract with the University Clinical Educational and Research Associates Program at the University of Hawaii Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health to continue the pilot perinatal clinic and the provision of case management services.

     The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The University of Hawaii System supported the intent of this measure.  DHS provided comments.

     Your Committees recognize the importance of this measure and urge DHS to include this as a base-budget item in the future.  Additionally, your Committees respectfully request DHS and the proponents of this measure to determine whether tobacco settlement moneys could be used for this purpose.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 537 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health,

____________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair