STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3411

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 30

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 30 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION TO COLLABORATE ON EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND MATERIALS ABOUT THE HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS VACCINE THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO PARENTS OF PUBLIC MIDDLE AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL CHILDREN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Departments of Health and Education to provide information about the human papillomavirus vaccine to the parents of public middle and intermediate school children.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Democratic Women's Caucus, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Pala Ola Lokahi, Hawaii Women's Coalition, and two individuals.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee recognizes that the human papillomavirus vaccine is an important vaccine that can protect against infection and the cancers caused by human papillomavirus.  Your Committee notes, however, that in Hawaii, vaccination rates against the human papillomavirus are relatively low, since only thirty-four percent of women and fifteen percent of men in the State are fully immunized.  Your Committee also notes that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the human papillomavirus vaccine for preteen boys and girls at age eleven or twelve, so that they may be protected before any exposure to the virus.  Your Committee believes that the actions requested by this measure can increase public awareness about the human papillomavirus vaccine among parents and children.

     Your Committee notes that the Department of Health may require additional resources for the costs associated with fulfilling the requests in this measure.  The department estimates that the cost of developing the requested educational information and materials is $40,000, and that the annual printing cost of providing educational materials to the parents of public middle and intermediate school children would be an additional $10,000 for each grade level each year, for a total of $30,000 each year.  Your Committee notes that printing costs could be minimized if the materials are only provided to the parents of public school children who are entering the seventh grade.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting a request that the Departments of Health and Education seek and obtain private or federal funding to assist with the financing of the actions requested by the measure.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 30, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 30, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair