STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1057

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 456

      H.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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 456 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAID,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide access to emergency contraceptives for women who are Medicaid recipients, who may not be able to otherwise obtain emergency contraceptives, by providing funding and requiring the Department of Human Services to directly reimburse sales of over-the-counter Plan B emergency contraception to women who are recipients of Medicaid without incurring out-of-pocket expenses.

     The Hawaii Medical Association and Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Human Services supported the intent of this measure.  Hawaii Right to Life and a concerned individual opposed this bill. 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to

          encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style,

          clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 456, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 456, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair