STAND. COM. REP. NO. 344

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 728

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.B. No. 728 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATEWIDE HEALTH PLANNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide flexibility in the administering of the Statewide Language Access Resource Center.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Language Access Advisory Council, Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Office of Language Access.

Your Committee finds that the disparate impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic on Pacific Islander communities highlights the necessity of the Office of Language Access and its role providing communication and assistance to state agencies to translate vital health information and communication. Your Committee further finds that allowing the Office of Language Access to have flexibility over the services provided and accept additional sources of funding is in the best interest of the public.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 728, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 728, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair