STAND. COM. REP. NO. 22-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 2095

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2095 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUN PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that children in our public schools are provided adequate education about, and protection from, the harmful effects of overexposure to sunlight, by requiring the Department of Education (DOE) to establish a sun protection program.

The Hawaii Medical Association, Australian Trade Commission, and a concerned individual supported this bill. The Representative from the Fiftieth District provided oral testimony in support of this bill. DOE provided comments.

Your Committee finds that mounting evidence linking childhood overexposure to sunlight and the development of skin cancer later in life warrants action by the Legislature to implement sun protection programs within our schools. It is also critical that facilities providing early-childhood care and education such as our preschools and county parks and recreation programs guard against such dangers.

In an effort to expand the protective services proposed by this measure, your Committee has amended this bill to ensure that our youngest and most vulnerable citizens are protected by:

(1) Extending coverage to DOE after-school programs and weekend community-school activities for children, which would include county programs for children;

(2) Providing that the Department of Human Services implement sun protection programs for group child care homes and group child care centers; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for 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 H.B. No. 2095, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2095, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Education.

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

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair