STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2864

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 12

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Education, to which was referred S.R. No. 12 entitled:

"SENATE 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,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request 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.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawai‘i State Democratic Women's Caucus, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Coalition, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, and three individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from ten individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     Your Committees find that the human papillomavirus vaccine is an important vaccine that can protect against infection and the cancers caused by human papillomavirus, including cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers in women, penile cancer in men, and anal cancer, cancer of the throat, and genital warts in men and women.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the human papillomavirus vaccine for preteen boys and girls at age eleven or twelve, so they are protected prior to being exposed to the virus.  Your Committees further find that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vaccination rates in Hawaii to protect against human papillomavirus are relatively low, with only thirty-four percent of women and fifteen percent of men in the State being fully immunized.

     Your Committees note that this measure provides an opportunity to increase public awareness about the human papillomavirus vaccine among parents and children through the dissemination of information and encourages parents and children to talk to pediatricians on the importance of being aware of the human papillomavirus.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 12 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Education,

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair