STAND. COM. REP. NO. 164

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1140

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1140 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NEWBORN HEARING SCREENING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Ensure that timely diagnostic audiologic reports on newborns who did not pass newborn hearing screening, or infants whose hearing status changes, are provided to the Department of Health; and

(2) Update definitions and terminology.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Disability and Communication Access Board, and Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that mandating the reporting of diagnostic audiologic evaluation results for newborns who do not pass hearing screening will help the State meet national goals to help children who are deaf or hard of hearing be language ready for school. This measure will improve the identification and follow-up of infants who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Your Committee finds that the amended language in section 321-363, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which relates to the adoption of rules regarding the Statewide Newborn Hearing Screening Program in section 5 of this measure can be read to require reporting for infants who have not been identified as deaf or hard of hearing. Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending section 5 of this measure to clarify that the reporting requirements will apply to only those infants who have been identified as deaf or hard of hearing; and

(2) 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 Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1140, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1140, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair