STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1738

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.C.R. No. 5

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 5 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF 21ST CENTURY DATA GOVERNANCE FOR FACT-BASED POLICYMAKING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to recognize the importance of twenty-first century data governance for fact-based policymaking.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Office of Enterprise Technology Services; Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!; ‘Ahahui o nā Kauka; Queen's Health Systems; Spoehr Foundation; Hawai‘i Friends of Civil Rights; InterAgency Council for Immigrants and Refugees; Papa Ola Lōkahi; Kūpuna for the Mo‘opuna; Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Medical-Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai‘i; Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Hawaii COVID-19 Response, Recovery and Resilience Team; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the State in various ways, such as the community's health, employment, and housing security. COVID-19 has also impacted the State's Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population in ways that are still trying to be understood. Efforts to better determine and address the effects of COVID-19 on Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders have been hindered by insufficient and inconsistent demographic data collection, processing, retention, and sharing by critical government entities. This measure will improve data governance and help the State develop data-driven, fact-based, and well‑tailored policies and interventions to address the unique needs of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 5 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair