STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1528

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 316, 327

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 316 and 327, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

Hawai'i Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances

G.M. No. 316	STEPHEN KALANI BRADY, for a term to expire 6-30-2013; and
G.M. No. 327	DARIN H. KAWAZOE, for a term to expire 6-30-2013,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Upon review of the statements submitted by the nominees, your Committee finds that the aforementioned nominees will work with compassion and commitment to assist in administering the functions related to drug abuse and controlled substances for the people of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that the nominees have been appointed based on their credentials, integrity, and a desire to make Hawaii better through their participation on the Hawai‘i Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances to which they have been nominated.

     Your Committee received testimony supporting the nomination of each of these individuals from the Department of Health.  Additional testimony was submitted supporting the nomination of Dr. Stephen Kalani Brady from Representative from the 19th House District.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

Dr. Stephen Kalani Brady was first appointed to the Hawai‘i Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances on July 1, 2007.  He is board certified in internal medicine and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.  In 2003, he was appointed vice chairman of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the University of Hawaii, John A. Burns School of Medicine, where he serves as associate professor.  Dr. Brady represents the medical segment of the community.

Darin H. Kawazoe was first appointed to the Hawai‘i Advisory Commission on Drug Abuse and Controlled Substances on July 1, 2007.  He heads a consultant firm which designs and develops community-based programs for organizations.  His work focuses on education, health, prevention, culturally-relevant and criminal justice-appropriate treatment services.  Mr. Kawazoe is a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor who has extensive experience in the field of substance abuse treatment.  He served as the Program Director for the State's first Drug Court and as the coordinator for the Hawaii Drug Control Strategy Summit convened in 2003.  Mr. Kawazoe represents the community and business affairs segment of the community.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair