STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1294

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.R. No. 48

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.R. No. 48 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING ONGOING COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE STRATEGY TO ELIMINATE VIRAL HEPATITIS TYPES A, B, AND C IN HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize and support the ongoing collaborative efforts of state agencies and private organizations to implement a statewide strategy to eliminate viral hepatitis types A, B, and C in Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, AF3IRM Hawai‘i, Times Pharmacy, Hep Free Hawaii, Micronesian Education for Liver Wellness Program, Hawai‘i Public Health Association, and seventeen individuals.

Your Committee finds that viral hepatitis types B and C have been linked to cirrhosis and liver cancer, diseases that affect the State's residents at disproportionately high rates. Approximately sixty-three thousand people in Hawaii are living with some type of viral hepatitis, many of whom may be unaware that they are infected. Populations that are more at-risk of developing viral hepatitis include indigenous people, incarcerated persons, veterans, those experiencing homelessness, those who are pregnant, African Americans, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning communities. Your Committee further finds that the State is currently engaged in proactive measures to eliminate viral hepatitis in underserved and at-risk communities through a variety of services, such as expanding Med-QUEST coverage, offering syringe service programs, identifying and supporting foreign-born women and families at high risk of contracting hepatitis B, and immunizing homeless communities against hepatitis A.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the House Committee on Health, Human Services, and Homelessness and Senate Committee on Health to convene a second informational briefing before the start of the Regular Session of 2022 at which the Executive Director of Hep Free Hawaii is urged to offer proposed legislation for the Regular Session of 2022; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 48, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 48, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair