STAND. COM. REP. NO. 575

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1740

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1740 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health so it can continue to maintain its existing staff and hire additional professionals to provide health services and programs.

     The Department of Health submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.  Hawai‘i Early Intervention Coordinating Council, Kapi‘olani Child Protection Center, and twenty-one individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.

     This measure requests funds for:

     (1)  Five permanent state-funded positions for a preschool developmental screening program;

     (2)  The Department of Health's Family Health Services Division to hire and maintain a permanent state-funded registered nurse V position to administer and coordinate the programmatic aspects of the comprehensive primary care services program; and

     (3)  The Department of Health's Injury Prevention and Control Program to hire and maintain a qualified individual (planner IV position) to be responsible for building the injury and violence prevention agenda and engaging staff and stakeholders in the process.

     Your Committees find that as the state population increases, Hawaii residents' health needs also increase.  The Department of Health must keep up with this increased demand for public health services and programs.  This measure will provide funding to the Department of Health to maintain its existing staff and to hire additional professionals to ensure the continuation of crucial health care services and programs.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1740 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair