STAND. COM. REP. NO. 807
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 337
S.D. 1
Honorable Donna Mercado Kim
President of the Senate
Twenty-Eighth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2015
State of Hawaii
Madam:
Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 337, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve detection of critical, life-threatening congenital heart defects in newborns.
Specifically, this measure:
(1) Requires birthing facilities to perform on each newborn a pulse oximetry test for critical congenital heart defects or other medically accepted test that measures the percentage of blood oxygen saturation;
(2) Allows parents and guardians to opt out of the pulse oximetry or other test on religious grounds; and
(3) Requires birthing facilities to submit annual data to the Department of Health regarding the performance of pulse oximetry or other tests.
Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children, and March of Dimes Hawaii Chapter.
Your Committee finds that congenital heart defects are structural abnormalities of the heart that are present at birth and are the leading killer of infants with birth defects. Your Committee believes that by requiring birthing facilities to perform pulse oximetry tests for critical congenital heart defects or other medically accepted tests that measure the percentage of blood oxygen saturation, this measure could potentially save many newborn lives.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 337, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,
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________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair |
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