STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1306

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 970

      S.D. 2

      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 Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 970, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide dental care services to QUEST-eligible adults and children, the developmentally disabled, and the uninsured by appropriating funds to establish or expand community-based dental health clinics operated by federally-qualified health centers.

     The State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, Hoola Lahui Hawaii, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Waikiki Health Center, Molokai Ohana Health Care, Inc., Community Clinic of Maui, Hamakua Health Center, Inc., West Hawaii Community Health Center, Kokua Council, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Arc in Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Health opposed this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style.

     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. 970, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 970, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, 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