STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2698

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2901

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2901 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEARING AND VISION PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the early identification of children with hearing or vision loss by establishing consistent protocols for hearing and vision screening and follow-up, screener training, and data collection for quality improvement.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Department of Education, Executive Office on Early Learning, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Early Learning Board, Hawaii Speech and Hearing Association, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the early identification of hearing and vision loss, with appropriate follow-up services, is critical for the development of children's language and communication skills needed for learning in school. The Department of Health operated a hearing and vision program for school children from 1978 to 1995, but the program ended due to budget reductions and with the assumption that primary care providers would provide the hearing and vision screening. Currently, primary care providers and community programs vary regarding protocols for hearing and vision screening and follow-up; screeners vary in their training and skills for conducting screenings; and there is no uniform data collection for quality improvement. This measure further improves hearing and vision screening for children in the State by establishing consistent protocols for screenings and comprehensive data collecting and reporting.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 S.B. No. 2901, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2901, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair