CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 11-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

RE:    S.B. No. 2886

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2886, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGE OF CONSENT FOR ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to reduce barriers to accessing mental health services for minors by lowering the age of consent to receive treatment and services, other than prescription medication or out-of-home or residential treatment, from eighteen years of age to fourteen years.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that requiring parental consent for minors to receive substance abuse treatment and family planning services may pose a barrier to health care.  Minors may find desired mental health services inaccessible due to the discomfort and even opposition caused by obtaining parental consent.  By allowing access to mental health services for consenting minors of a certain age, individuals seeking improved emotional and mental well-being may be served in a timely manner.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2016.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2886, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2886, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair
____________________________ KARL RHOADS, Co-Chair	____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair
____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair	____________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Co-Chair