STAND. COM. REP. NO. 793

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1431

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. 1431 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an Oral Health Task Force to review information and data on the status of oral health in the State and make recommendations to improve the State's oral health infrastructure; and

(2) Appropriate funds to help facilitate the work of the oral health task force.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; State Health Planning and Development Agency; University of Hawai‘i System; Hawaii Dental Association; AlohaCare; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii's oral health program is not meeting the needs of its residents. Your Committee further finds that although the Department of Health operates five small dental clinics that serve individuals who are elderly, blind, intellectually or developmentally disabled, or suffering from a mental illness, all five clinics are located in the City and County of Honolulu, making access to oral health care more difficult for individuals in rural areas and on the neighbor islands. Your Committee believes that establishing an Oral Health Task Force, as proposed by this measure, will provide the State with valuable insight, including identifying key elements and additional staff resources that are necessary to rebuild Hawaii's oral health infrastructure.

Your Committee notes testimony received from the Department of Health which stated that a permanent full-time equivalent position may be unnecessary as the Governor's executive budget includes a request to reestablish the Department of Health's Oral Health Program, which would include establishing two permanent full-time equivalent positions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $200,000 for the Family Health Services Division of the Department of Health to contract with a consultant to facilitate the work of the Oral Health Task Force and an appropriation amount of $79,872 to establish one permanent full-time equivalent Program Specialist V position, if the position is needed.

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. 1431, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1431, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair