STAND. COM. REP. NO.  880

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 864

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 864, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION INSURANCE COVERAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand health insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization by removing the requirement that the patient's oocytes be fertilized with the sperm from the patient's spouse.

The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Hawaii Women Lawyers, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, RESOLVE, California Cryobank, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  Kaiser Permanente Hawaii testified in support of the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Catholic Conference testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Human Services and Hawaii Medical Service Association provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Specifying that it is the intent of the Legislature to exempt:

          (A)  Religious institutions and organizations that believe the covered procedures violate their religious and moral teachings and beliefs; and

          (B)  The federal Medicaid program from the requirements of this measure;

     (2)  Removing the requirement that the patient have a history of infertility of at least five years' duration;

     (3)  Adding the definition of "infertility" and removing the definition of "spouse";

     (4)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 864, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 864, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair