STAND. COM. REP. NO.  428-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2881

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2881, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure prenatal services are provided to women who are afraid to visit conventional hospitals and clinics due to a drug or alcohol addiction they are struggling with by:

     (1)  Making the perinatal clinic (Clinic) first established by Act 248, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, permanent; and

     (2)  Appropriating funds for the Clinic.

     The Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, PATH Clinic, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Human Services and University of Hawaii at Manoa supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020,

to encourage further discussion.

     Your Committee has also made technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2881, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2881, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair