CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 97-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2008

RE:    H.B. No. 2727

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 2727, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders have access to quality health care services and treatment by establishing a temporary autism disorders spectrum benefits and coverage task force to research the problems faced by parents of children with autism and what can be done to ensure that proper benefits and services are provided through public and private resources to address the special needs of children with autism, including providing services involving applied behavioral analysis techniques.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1)  Deleting the member of the task force representing the Hawaii Medical Service Association;

(2)  Deleting the two members of the task force who are parents of autistic children and appointed by the Governor;

(3)  Replacing the three members removed from the task force with three members each representing a different organization that represents children with autistic spectrum disorder, appointed by the Governor from a list submitted by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate;

(4)  Specifying that members of the task force will serve without compensation and will receive no reimbursement for expenses;

(5)  Providing that the task force will cease to exist on June 30, 2009;

(6)  Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

(7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2727, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2727, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair	_______________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Co-Chair
____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Co-Chair	_______________________________ ROBERT N. HERKES, Co-Chair
	_______________________________ JOHN MIZUNO, Co-Chair