STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3117

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2493

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. 2493, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EPIDEMIOLOGISTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to permit the Director of Health to hire more than ten epidemiologists.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and Hawaii Public Health Institute.

Your Committee finds that epidemiologists serve unique, technical roles in public health. Testimony submitted by the Department of Health indicates that the Department deploys epidemiologists to effectively track and characterize emergent disease outbreaks such as those caused by dengue, hepatitis A, norovirus, or mumps by using various tools to analyze data to determine specific risks, identify potential or specific etiologic agents, or guide public health interventions. Epidemiologists also analyze longer term trends, using environmental, health care, chronic disease, mental health, and substance abuse data, including the injuries and deaths related to opioid misuse and abuse, to inform public policy and department operations. Your Committee notes that the Department of Health currently has ten epidemiologists and has an immediate need for more, including for a planned project to address youth lead exposure on Kauai.

Your Committee further notes that funds were allocated to the Department of Health for an eleventh epidemiologist as part of the state budget in 2017. However, the Department of Health was unable to hire an epidemiologist because of this statutory limit. Your Committee finds that removing this statutory limit will allow the Department of Health to better track and analyze emergent disease outbreaks and long-term public health trends and grant the Department of Health the operational flexibility needed to address future public health risks.

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. 2493, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair