STAND. COM. REP. NO.  365

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 909

      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. 909 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INFANT MORTALITY PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve statewide coordination of infant mortality planning and oversight by:

(1)  Establishing the Comprehensive Infant Mortality Reduction Program within the Department of Health to establish, administer, and maintain a statewide, comprehensive infant mortality reduction program; and

(2)  Appropriating funds to fund epidemiological and planning activities related to infant mortality, collect and analyze Hawaii-specific infant mortality data, and identify social determinants of health related to infant mortality.

The Department of Health, Executive Office on Early Learning, and the March of Dimes, Hawaii Chapter supported this measure.

     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. 909, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 909, 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