STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1281-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2883

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2883, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to convene a task force to facilitate improved, mission-driving hiring and training of culturally-accepted interpreters and create culturally-accepted education materials on preventative care and early intervention to assist non-English speaking populations seeking care at health care facilities; and

(2) Appropriate funds to support the work of the task force.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, COFA Alliance National Network, and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Office of Language Access, and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

Your Committee finds that Pacific Islander communities have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic at significantly higher numbers than any other community of color in the State, with Compact of Free Association (COFA) benefit recipients being particularly adversely impacted. Your Committee further finds that, because of prejudice and discrimination in the health care system, COFA benefit recipients use medical facilities as an option of last resort to treat illnesses, leading to a much more severe prognosis than if they had received treatment at an earlier stage. This measure reduces barriers to health care experienced by COFA benefit recipients and other communities with similar cultural and language barriers by creating a task force to focus on hiring and training culturally accepted interpreters and create culturally accepted materials and preventative care to assist non-English speaking populations seeking care at health care facilities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2883, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2883, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair