STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2241

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2205

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2205 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUICIDE PREVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a task force to develop and implement a plan to utilize the 9-8-8 calling code of the National Suicide and Mental Health Lifeline.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, and Prevent Suicide Hawai‘i Taskforce.

Your Committee finds that on July l6, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to establish "9-8-8" as the new, nationwide three-digit phone number to connect to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Veterans Crisis Line. Beginning July 16, 2022, dialing "9-8-8" will route calls to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Other states have passed legislation to prepare and implement the new national suicide prevention lifeline. This measure establishes a task force to develop an implementation plan to integrate and utilize the new 9‑8-8 calling code.

Your Committee acknowledges the testimony of the Hawaii Primary Care Association, who requested to be represented on the task force.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including a representative of the Hawaii Primary Care Association on the task force;

(2) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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. 2205, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2205, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair