STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1541

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.R. No. 139

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.R. No. 139 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS TO COLLABORATE AND DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN TO PREPARE FOR HAWAII'S PURSUIT OF FUNDING FOR AND PARTICIPATION IN THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION'S PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE FOR ESTIMATING AUTISM PREVALENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Department of Education, Department of Health, and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate and develop a strategic plan for Hawaii's pursuit of funding for and participation in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health surveillance for estimating autism prevalence.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; BAYADA; Hawaiʻi Early Intervention Coordinating Council; Early Childhood Action Strategy; Hawaiʻi Association for Behavior Analysis; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects brain development and unfolds across an individual's lifespan, impacting social communication, behavior, and daily functioning. Your Committee further finds that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network has been the primary source of autism prevalence data in the United States, but Hawaii has never been included in this national surveillance effort. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is open to assisting in estimating autism prevalence across the State and training local teams in established public health surveillance protocols. Your Committee believes that Hawaii's participation in systematic autism monitoring is an opportunity to attract national attention and additional funding for training, recruitment, and retention to support children with autism and their families.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 139 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Health.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair