STAND. COM. REP. NO.  51-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

RE:   H.B. No. 2185

      H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2185 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL BASED HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a school health coordinator position within the Department of Education, Department of Health, and Department of Human Services to:

     (1)  Elevate the coordination of school based health services within and among the departments; and

     (2)  Facilitate the establishment of evidence-based oral, vision, and behavioral health screening and assessment programs within the Department of Education to address and improve the current health and academic outcomes for Hawaii's school-aged children.

     In addition, this measure appropriates general funds to each of the departments for development of an evidence based vision screening and eye assessment system for children in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.

The Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Dental Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Project Vision Hawaii, American Diabetes Association, and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Hawaii Public Health Institute, and Hawaii Primary Care Association offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025, to promote further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2185, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2185, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Health & Human Services.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair