STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3199

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2748

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2748, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Health to submit a request, as authorized by federal regulation, to the United States Department of Education to allow parents of children with a disability to continue receiving early intervention services after the child turns three years of age and until the child enters kindergarten.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Special Education Advisory Council, Hawai‘i Association for Behavior Analysis, and three individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committees find that young children with disabilities lose access to early intervention services when they turn three years of age and must transition to special education services provided by the State. However, some children may benefit more by continuing their early intervention services after turning three years of age, allowing them to work toward obtaining the goals and skills necessary to succeed in a school-based setting. This measure will begin the process to allow parents of children with a disability to continue receiving early intervention services after turning three years of age and close any current gaps in services.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2748, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2748, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair