STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1075

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 259
                                     H.D. 3




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
259, H.D. 2, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that all children are
safe, healthy, and ready to succeed in school by:

     (1)  Providing parents and guardians access to psychological
          and physiological screening for their child when the
          child is between the ages of two and three; and

     (2)  Requiring the Departments of Health, Education, and
          Human Services (DOH, DOE, and DHS), and the University
          of Hawaii (UH), in conjunction with the American
          Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), to plan and develop, among
          other things, a screening tool.

     The Hawaii Early Intervention Coordinating Council, the AAP,
and the Center for Disabilities Studies testified in support of
this measure.  DOH, DOE, the Good Beginnings Alliance, the Hawaii
Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, and the
Hawaii State Teachers Association testified in support of the
intent of this measure.  DHS commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:


 
 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1075
                                 Page 2

 
     (1)  Authorizing, rather than requiring, access to child
          screening;

     (2)  Designating DOH to develop and plan standardized
          screening, in conjunction with DOE, DHS, UH, and AAP;
          and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity
          and style.

     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 H.B. No.
259, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 259, H.D. 3.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair