STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2789

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2882

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 Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2882, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Community Health Worker Certification Program within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; and

(2) Establish the Community Health Worker Certification Special Subaccount of the Compliance Resolution Fund.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Ka‘u Rural Health Community Association, Hawai‘i Community Health Worker Association, and one individual. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, University of Hawai‘i System, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Health, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, and one individual.

Your Committees find that community health workers have long been active health care providers in rural and underserved communities throughout the State. However, because this profession is not regulated, licensed, or certified in accordance with state law, their services are not reimbursable under private or public insurance. Accordingly, this measure establishes the necessary framework for the professional recognition and certification of community health workers in the State to provide more accessibility to services in the public health and social service fields. Your Committees additionally note that this measure is subject to a sunrise analysis to be conducted by the Auditor pursuant to section 26H-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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 Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2882, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2882, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair