STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1193

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 474

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 474, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FALL PREVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health to fund an unspecified number of full-time equivalent fall prevention and early detection coordinator positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Executive Office on Aging, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that unintentional falls among seniors age sixty-five years and older in the State are the leading cause of fatal injuries and injury-related emergency room visits for this age group. Your Committee further finds that access to fall prevention services and programs would significantly reduce costs associated with falls among older adults by expediting treatment, minimizing serious long-term consequences, reducing the extent of the injury, and, in some instances, avoiding death. Accordingly, this measure provides continued support to fall prevention programs and services to promote longer, healthier lives for the State's aging population.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the appropriation is for the current Fall Prevention Campaign rather than for Fall Prevention and Early Detection Coordinator positions established by Act 153, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014;

(2) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 for the current Fall Prevention Campaign.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 474, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 474, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair