STAND. COM. REP. NO. 804

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 987

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 987, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the Hearing and Vision Program law 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, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Executive Office on Early Learning, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawai‘i Early Intervention Coordinating Council, Early Childhood Action Strategy, and Hawai‘i Speech-Language Hearing Association.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 987, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair