STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1772

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 898

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 Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 898 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to abolish the Board of Health.

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

Your Committee finds that the Board of Health was established to be an advisory board for the Director of Health. However, the Board's role has been made redundant by the evolution of state and federal regulations, community standards of practice, grant guidance, and legislative oversight. Your Committee notes that the Board of Health has been vacant for the past several years. Your Committee further finds that abolishing the Board of Health would more accurately reflect the reality of decision making at the Department of Health and would reduce the administrative burden on the Department.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a purpose section; 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 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. 898, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 898, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair