STAND. COM. REP. NO. 272

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1431

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 S.B. No. 1431 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish and appropriate funds for a Hepatitis Prevention Program within the Department of Health;

(2) Repeal the authority given to the Department of Health to provide medications for the treatment of certain newborns; and

(3) Repeal the no implied warranty provision for blood injections and transfusions with regard to the serum hepatitis virus.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaiʻi Public Health Association, Hawaiʻi Health & Harm Reduction Center, Hep Free Hawaiʻi, and ten individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that each year from 2000 to 2020, mortality rates associated with hepatitis B were higher in Hawaii compared to the entire United States, with three times higher death rates in 2019 alone. Your Committee further finds that to address the burden of viral hepatitis in Hawaii, the Department of Health has successfully leveraged community and state partnerships to convene the "Hep Free 2030: The Hawaiʻi Hepatitis Elimination Strategy 2020-2030". This measure ensures that necessary and effective services, including surveillance, vaccination, screening, and treatment, can be provided to affected communities with sufficient staffing and infrastructure supported by the Department of Health.

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 $545,000 for the establishment and implementation of the Hepatitis Prevention Program, including the establishment of the following positions within the Department of Health:

(1) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Program Specialist V position to provide overall coordination of section activities as well as strategic planning and partnership development;

(2) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Epidemiological Specialist position to conduct disease surveillance and investigation activities to effectively allocate resources; and

(3) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Office Assistant III position to provide administrative support.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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 S.B. No. 1431, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1431, 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