STAND. COM. REP. NO. 71

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 556

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 556 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COLORECTAL CANCER,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide state-funded financial assistance for colorectal cancer screenings to certain Hawaii residents.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Community Clinic of Maui-Mālama I Ke Ola Health Center; Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; Fight Colorectal Cancer; American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Hawaii Association of Health Plans; Hawaiʻi Association of Professional Nurses; and six individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services; Department of Health; and Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committees find colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer in Hawaii and the third leading cause of cancer deaths nationwide. Your Committees further find that screening is vital for the early detection of colorectal cancer. However, not all residents of Hawaii have access to health insurance that provides no-cost colorectal cancer screening. Deaths from colorectal cancer are largely preventable and this measure will increase access to preventative health screenings, which will improve health outcomes for more Hawaii residents.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the state-funded colorectal screenings are for residents of the State who are permanent United States resident aliens and nonresident aliens who are ineligible for Medicaid, rather than Medicare;

(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.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services & Homelessness that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 556, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 556, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________ LISA MARTEN, Chair

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair