STAND. COM. REP. NO. 979

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1422

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1422, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NON-GENERAL FUNDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the portion of certain fees and certificates relating to birth, marriage, divorce, and death to be deposited into the vital statistics improvement special fund.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires that the excess portion of the fee for certified copies of birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates be deposited into the vital statistics improvement special fund, rather than the general fund;

(2) Requires that the excess portions of the fee for marriage licenses and the fee to be an agent authorized to grant marriage licenses be deposited into the vital statistics improvement special fund, rather than the birth defects special fund;

(3) Repeals the birth defects special fund and requires that the unencumbered and expended balance be deposited into the vital statistics improvement special fund; and

(4) Appropriates moneys from the vital statistics improvement special fund for the operation of the vital statistics program.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that this measure will create a more consistent revenue stream to meet rising operational costs and support the on-going modernization and preservation efforts of the Department of Health.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1422, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair