STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2004

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1431

S.D. 1

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1431, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VIRAL HEPATITIS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish and appropriate funds for a Hepatitis Prevention Program within the Department of Health to address morbidity and mortality due to hepatitis B and C;

(2) Require the Department of Health to develop and implement an educational program to inform the public on how to identify and prevent hepatitis and aid in its early diagnosis;

(3) Require the Department of Health to develop a comprehensive statewide hepatitis prevention plan; and

(4) Repeal outdated provisions related to hepatitis.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Hep Free Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center; AlohaCare; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the number of positions to be established for the Hepatitis Prevention Program to unspecified numbers.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1431, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1431, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair