STAND. COM. REP. NO.  228-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2457

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2457 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to take proactive steps to prevent tooth decay among Hawaii's children by:

(1)  Requiring the Director of Health to participate in the National Oral Health Surveillance System; and

(2)  Requiring the Department of Health to, among other things:

(A)  Establish, or enter into partnerships or agreements to administer, a school-based dental sealant program in a high-need demonstration school, and appropriating funds for this purpose; and

(B)  Submit a report to the Legislature prior to the 2015 Regular Session detailing its efforts to prioritize prevention of tooth decay among children in the State.

The Department of Health, Department of Education, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Good Beginnings Alliance, Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association, The Pew Children's Dental Campaign, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  Two individuals opposed this measure.  Hawaii Dental Association and Hawaii Primary Care Association commented on this measure.

     Your Committee amended this bill by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion.

     Should the subsequent committees consider this measure, your Committee respectfully requests them to consider an appropriation amount of $200,000 for the Department of Health to establish, or enter into partnerships or agreements to administer, a school-based dental sealant program in a high-need demonstration school.

     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. 2457, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2457, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Education.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair