STAND. COM. REP. NO.  500

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 914

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 914 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OBESITY PREVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address adult and child obesity in the State by:

(1)  Establishing the Hawaii Interagency Obesity Prevention Council within the Department of Health; and

(2)  Appropriating funds out of the Obesity Prevention Special Fund to support child and adult obesity prevention programs.

The University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Health Sciences and Social Welfare, Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and several individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Health supported this measure with amendments.  Several individuals submitted comments.

     Your Committee notes that obesity increases the risk of many health conditions, among them, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes.  The increasing prevalence of diabetes in adults and children and the seriousness of this disease make it one of the important issues for the Hawaii Interagency Obesity Prevention Council to consider.  It is your Committee's intent that the Hawaii Interagency Obesity Prevention Council serve as an opportunity for community input and greater discussion among stakeholders in addressing obesity and its attendant health problems, such as diabetes and other diseases. 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and 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 H.B. No. 914, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 914, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair