STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1457

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 250

H.D. 2

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 Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 250, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish and appropriate funds for the Hawaii keiki: healthy and ready to learn program within the Department of Education; and

(2) Appropriate funds to establish school health service coordinators in the Department of Health and Department of Human Services and a vision screening and eye assessment tool appropriate for children in kindergarten through grade twelve.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, University of Hawai‘i System, State Public Charter School Commission, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Project Vision Hawai‘i, HE‘E Coalition, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance; Department of Human Services; Department of Health; and American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaii Chapter.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii keiki: healthy and ready to learn program has expanded access to health services for many of the State's students. School-based services such as early eye screenings and oral hygiene services for vulnerable keiki in pre-kindergarten through high school can improve academic outcomes and increase children's opportunities for economic achievement.

Your Committee further finds that in 2015, the Legislature appropriated general funds to improve access to, and increase the quality of, health services available to Hawaii's public school students. This appropriation led to the expansion of the Hawaii keiki program: healthy and ready to learn program, with five advanced practice registered nurses and five registered nurses serving seven complex areas across three islands. During this time, the Hawaii keiki program: healthy and ready to learn program also established five school-based health centers. This measure continues to improve access to and increase the quality of health services available to Hawaii's public school students by formally establishing the Hawaii keiki program: healthy and ready to learn program and providing it with funding to expand and sustain the program.

Your Committee notes that the University of Hawaii School of Nursing recommends an additional $256,000 appropriation for electronic school health records.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Exempting the Hawaii keiki: healthy and ready to learn special fund from section 36-30, Hawaii Revised Statutes, regarding reimbursements for departmental administrative expenses;

(2) Specifying that the administration of medication by a school health aide shall be approved by the Department of Health or other on-campus, school-based, health care provider pursuant to a written agreement with the Department of Education; and

(3) 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 Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 250, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 250, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair