CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 29-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

RE:    S.B. No. 911

       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. 911, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LATEX,"

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 prohibit the use of latex gloves:

     (1)  By personnel working in food establishments; and

     (2)  With limited exceptions, by personnel working in dental health facilities or health care facilities, or by personnel providing ambulance services or emergency medical services.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that latex allergy is a serious concern because it causes reactions ranging from mild rashes to difficulty breathing and deadly anaphylaxis.  Approximately 3,000,000 people in the general population of the United States have an allergy to latex.  Individuals with this allergy must be vigilant about latex exposure since there is currently no medically approved treatment except strict avoidance.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing exceptions for the use of latex gloves by personnel providing ambulance services or emergency medical services;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to upon approval; provided that the provisions related to the prohibitions of the use of latex gloves shall take effect on January 1, 2017; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     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. 911, 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. 911, 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	____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH, Co-Chair
____________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Co-Chair