STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3077

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2373

       H.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2373, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SHARING OF VITAL STATISTICS RECORDS WITH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROGRAM EMPLOYEES FOR APPROVED RESEARCH PURPOSES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the Department of Health to share public health statistics records with Department of Health program employees under certain circumstances.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai'i, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and Hawaii Children's Action Network.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure will allow the Department of Health to safeguard the privacy of vital records while providing limited sharing of vital statistics records amongst its employees, with approval from the Department's institutional review committee.  Your Committee finds that, under existing law, the Department is authorized to use de-identified data for research purposes, however in many circumstances the use of identified data is also needed for research purposes.  Your Committee further finds that this measure would permit the Department of Health to conduct the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System research study, among other valuable research.

 

     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 H.B. No. 2373, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair