STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1784

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 655

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 655, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to designate the month of September of each year as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that from 2013 to 2017, nine hundred twenty-six Hawaii residents died from suicide. Suicide is the leading cause of fatal injuries accounting for twenty-five percent of the 3,695 total deaths during this time period. Codifying September as Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month in Hawaii will bring awareness about suicide prevention since it provides a yearly focus for coordinated statewide public awareness activities.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 655, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts,

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BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair