STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1274

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 914

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 914, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OBESITY PREVENTION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Interagency Obesity Prevention Council to formulate and advise the Governor on a ten-year statewide plan to address child and adult obesity.  This measure also appropriates an unspecified amount of funds to support programs to prevent child and adult obesity.

 

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

 

     Your Committee finds that nearly one-third of Hawaii children entering kindergarten are overweight or obese.  In addition, twenty-three per cent of adults in Hawaii are obese and another thirty-four per cent are overweight.  Hawaii spends approximately $470,000,000 on obesity-related health problems.  Your Committee further finds that reducing obesity in the State will reduce health care spending associated with obesity-related diseases and will improve the health of Hawaii's residents.  

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Clarifying that only the Director of Health, the Director of Human Services, and the Superintendent of Education may designate a person to serve on the Hawaii Interagency Obesity Prevention Council in their stead; and 

 

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

 

     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 H.B. No. 914, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 914, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair