STAND. COM. REP. NO. 733

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 720

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 720 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CONCUSSION PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate monies to the Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science of the University of Hawaii for the concussion education and monitoring program and concussion and awareness program for school athletics and youth athletic activities.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; University of Hawai‘i System College of Education; Hydroponics Alternatives, LLC; and two individuals.

     Your Committees find that concussions and other head injuries pose a significant risk to student and youth athletes.  The damage from a head injury often becomes much more severe if the injury is not quickly and accurately recognized and the injured athlete returns to competition too soon.  For this reason, it is vital for students and other youth in the State to have reliable information about concussions, and for student and youth athletes to be tested and monitored for possible concussions.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation amount from $450,000 to a blank amount; and

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 720, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 720, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair