STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1169

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1118

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1118, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NON-MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS TO IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the issuance of new non-medical immunization exemptions for school-aged children.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute; Pride at Work - Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Pacific Health; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – Hawaiʻi Section; American Academy of Pediatrics, Hawaiʻi Chapter; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one member of the Kauaʻi County Council; Free Citizens of Maunalua; Hawaiian Islands Republican Women; Project Nehemiah Hawaii; Outlawz Athletics; Aloha 1st Athletics; Aloha Freedom Coalition; Nana's Early Childcare; Pono Records; Retore Aloha; Hawaiʻi Christian Coalition; Christian Science Committee on Publication for Hawaii; Faith in Action Church of God; King's Chapel; Beauty Way of the Four Directions Native American Church of Kauaʻi; Hawaii for Informed Consent; Libertarian Party of Hawaii; Pure Wellness LLC; Clementine's Closet LLC; KELII Foundation; KUMU Foundation; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education and Church of Satanism, Coeur d'Alene Chapter.

Your Committee finds that school immunization requirements are a critical tool for preventing the spread of infectious diseases and maintaining public health. Studies confirm that high vaccination rates create herd immunity, which is essential for protecting medically fragile children who cannot be immunized due to health conditions. In recent years, Hawaii has seen a significant rise in non-medical immunization exemptions, more than doubling since the 2015–2016 school year. This measure aims to enhance the safety of school-aged children by reducing non-medical exemptions while continuing to safeguard those with valid medical exemptions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1118, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1118, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair