STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3160

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2241

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 Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2241, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL CARE FOR MINORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Permit minors to consent to medical care related to the diagnosis or treatment of HIV or the prevention of HIV;

(2) Provide that a minor, under certain circumstances, shall not be liable for the payment for treatment or prevention of HIV;

(3) Provide that a health insurer of a minor's parent, guardian, custodian, or spouse shall not notify the parent guardian, custodian, or spouse of the minor's treatment or prevention of HIV; and

(4) Authorize physician assistants, in addition to physicians and advanced practice registered nurses, to render medical care and services to minors.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Hawaii Medical Board, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Rainbow Family 808, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i, and twelve individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates - Hawai‘i.

Your Committee finds that adolescents and young adults are the least likely of any age group to be in treatment or have a suppressed viral load for HIV. Your Committee further finds that addressing HIV infection and spread among adolescents and young adults requires that they have access to medical care to get the information and tools they need to make healthy decisions, reduce their risk factors, and secure treatment. However, adolescents and young adults may avoid seeking care for sexually transmitted diseases if they must involve their parents or guardian. This measure will enable and encourage minors to access potentially life-saving treatment by allowing minors age fourteen to seventeen to obtain treatment for sexually transmitted disease without parent or guardian involvement.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2241, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair