STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1205

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 157

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Education and Higher Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 157 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO COLLABORATE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, HAWAII ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE AND THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES TO PREVENT IT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request that the Department of Health collaborate with the Department of Education, Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, and University of Hawaii to promote awareness of meningococcal disease and the availability of vaccines to prevent it.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and University of Hawai‘i System.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     Your Committees find that between 800 and 1,500 individuals fall ill from meningococcal disease each year, with infants under one year of age and young adults between the ages of 16 and 23 most commonly impacted by the disease.  Your Committees further find that a significant percentage of individuals who fall ill from meningococcal disease suffer serious and long-lasting health impairment up to and including death, even when receiving the best treatment currently available.  Your Committees additionally find that vaccination provides extremely effective protection from meningococcal disease.  Your Committees also find that, in addition to vaccination, comprehensive information about the disease and effective preventative measures are valuable to students and other individuals at increased risk of exposure to meningococcal disease.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Higher Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 157 and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Higher Education,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair