STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1309

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1459

      S.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1459, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate emergency funding to the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure the State's compliance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.  Specifically, this bill appropriates general funds for fiscal year 2006-2007 to provide additional early intervention services to meet the needs of infants and children who have developmental delay or who face biological or environmental risk.

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in her Governor's Message No. 250 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill by the Legislature, citing an existing critical funding shortage.

     DOH, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Chapter-American Physical Therapy Association, Easter Seals Hawaii, Center on Disability Studies, Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council, and Special Education Advisory Council testified in support of this bill.

     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 S.B. No. 1459, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair