STAND. COM. REP. NO. 611

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1300

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 Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1300, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CANCER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii Cancer Center to conduct a multiethnic cohort study focusing on the social determinants of health, lifestyles, environmental exposures, and resilience factors of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos, including an analysis of the health effects and risks of individuals living in close proximity to landfills in Nanakuli, Oahu.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center; University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine; The Queen's Health Systems; American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Ironworkers Stabilization Fund; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; and seven individuals.

Your Committee finds that the appropriation made by this measure will fund vital resources needed by the University of Hawaii Cancer Center to help initiate a long-term study that will provide critical data to improve the cancer disparities and promote health equity in populations that experience high rates for many common cancers and continue to be understudied and underserved.

Your Committee notes that the cost to conduct the multiethnic cohort study as required by this measure is estimated to be $500,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1300, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair