STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1728

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 129

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 129 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO INCREASE COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING RATES IN THE STATE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a working group, with the assistance of the American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, to develop recommendations to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in the State.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and sixteen individuals.

     Your Committee finds that colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for men and the third leading cause of cancer deaths for women in the State.  Your Committee recognizes that Hawaii currently has a screening rate of seventy percent, with a goal of reaching an eighty percent screening rate by 2020.  Your Committee believes that convening a working group to increase colorectal cancer screening rates will help to reduce the burden of colorectal cancer on Hawaii residents through early detection and treatment.

     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 H.C.R. No. 129, and recommends its adoption.

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

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair