STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1232

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1432

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1432, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CHANGES TO RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONCERNING PATIENTS, THE COUNTY OF KALAWAO, AND THE KALAUPAPA SETTLEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Kalaupapa State Historical Area;

(2) Authorize the Department of Health to continue providing services statewide to Hansen's disease patients living in the community;

(3) Repeal sections of Chapter 326, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to patient care at the Kalaupapa Settlement, to take effect upon the one year anniversary of the passing of the last patient resident of Kalaupapa, as affirmed in a Governor's proclamation; and

(4) Require the Department of Health to include community organizations in the transition planning team when developing a plan for the permanent transfer of the powers and duties of State departments and agencies over Kalaupapa Settlement.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Disability and Communication Access Board; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one member of the Maui County Council. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and Ka ‘Ohana O Kalaupapa.

Your Committee finds that there are seven remaining individuals who are former Hansen's disease patients that reside either full- or part-time at Kalaupapa and receive services from the State. This population is aging, and all patients are eighty-three years of age or older. Your Committee further finds that once the last resident of Kalaupapa passes, the Department of Health will no longer provide patient care or services, other than environmental remediation work, for the Kalaupapa Settlement. Your Committee believes that preserving and commemorating the historical, cultural, and environmental significance of the county of Kalawao is necessary and important work and that a preliminary framework should be established to allow for the transfer of the responsibilities for the Kalaupapa Settlement from the Department of Health to another appropriate governmental or qualified non-governmental entity.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language requiring the Department of Health to develop a plan and a transition planning team for the permanent transfer of the powers and duties of the Department over the Kalaupapa Settlement;

(2) Requiring future planning for the permanent transfer to include a topside community organization from Molokai to be selected in consultation with the Molokai community;

(3) Making conforming amendments repealing references to the county of Kalawao in numerous sections of the Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1432, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1432, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair