STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1333

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1157

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1157, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION STUDENT IMMUNIZATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt students in post-secondary education programs from immunization requirements if they attend classes exclusively online or through distance learning.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System, Chaminade University of Honolulu, and O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that colleges and universities, including the University of Hawaii, are expanding access to higher education through courses and programs offered online. These courses provide more flexibility in location and schedule for students who are working, have family responsibilities, or have other challenges participating in on-campus classes.

Your Committee further finds that existing Hawaii Administrative Rules require post-secondary students, including students in online or distance learning programs who do not attend classes in person, to provide immunization records with evidence of certain vaccinations. The Department of Health is currently proposing a rule change to exempt post-secondary students in online or distance-learning programs who do not attend classes in person from the current immunization requirements. However, the proposed rule change may not be adopted in time for the fall 2019 classes. Therefore, this measure provides an exemption from the immunization requirements for these students in a timely manner.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that if a student enrolled in an online or distance learning program needs to go on campus for any reason, the student shall be subject to the immunization requirements of existing Hawaii Administrative Rules prior to entering the campus; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1157, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1157, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health.

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

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair