STAND. COM. REP. NO. 512

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1004

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1004 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to update the State's advance health care directive laws by adopting the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act (2023) in amended form.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Department of Attorney General; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; State of Hawai‘i Commission to Promote Uniform Legislation; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Corporate Board of Directors.

Your Committee finds that the Uniform Law Commission approved and recommended the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act (2023) for enactment in all states. Your Committee further finds that although the State's existing laws address advance directives broadly, the Uniform Health-Care Decisions Act (2023) provides a more comprehensive framework for a variety of advance directives, including advance mental health care directives. Your Committee believes that adopting the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act (2023) in amended form will simplify the process to execute an advance health care directive.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, 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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1004, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1004, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair