STAND. COM. REP. NO. 26

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 132

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 132 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STROKE AWARENESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding for implementation of a stroke communications plan.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American Heart Association; Hawai‘i Pacific Health; Hawaii Medical Service Association; American Physical Therapy Association, Hawaii Chapter; The Queen's Health Systems; Kaiser Permanente; and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Department of the Attorney General.

     Your Committee finds that it is common for stroke patients to delay seeking care, which often results in patients being ineligible to receive approved treatments that could improve their health outcomes.  For example, despite significant improvements in the speed and quality of emergency medical services and hospital care, Hawaii ischemic stroke patients often arrive to a hospital too late to receive tissue plasminogen activator, the only approved medication for ischemic stroke treatment.

     According to the American Heart Association, almost two million brain cells are permanently lost for each minute that passes without treatment to reestablish blood flow.  Your Committee finds that early treatment can reduce the risk of death, and disability, and in some cases can reverse the disabling effects of stroke.  The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has established a task force to develop a stroke communications plan designed to change public norms and improve stroke response times.  Implementation of the plan will increase stroke awareness and improve proper response.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the provision that requires the Department of Health to distribute funds to the Hawaii Public Health Institute to manage implementation of the stroke communications plan and inserting language to require the Department to solicit bids from community organizations;

     (2)  Replacing the appropriation amount of $250,000 for fiscal year 2017-2018 with a blank appropriation amount for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019; and

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

     Your Committee notes that although the appropriation amount has been removed from this measure, the recommended appropriation for implementation of a stroke awareness communications plan is $250,000.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 132, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 132, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair