STAND. COM. REP. NO.  87

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 672

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 672 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH SERVICES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to support the Department of Education's strategic efforts to address students' physical, mental, and social-emotional health through school programs and partnerships that support health and well-being by expanding the Department's Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Program to all fifteen school complex areas statewide and adding preventative oral health education services to the Program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Hui for Excellence in Education, Hawaii Medical Services Association, Hawaii Pacific Health, Ohana Health Plan, Queen's Health Systems, American Organization of Nurse Executives, and many individuals.  Two individuals opposed this measure.  The Department of Health, Department of Human Service, Department of Budget and Finance, University of Hawaii School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene, Project Vision Hawaii, and two individuals submitted comments.

 


     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Replacing the specified general fund and special fund appropriations with unspecified amounts;

 

     (2)  Authorizing an additional appropriation to the Department of Education from the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Special Fund for the one-time purchase of an evidence based vision screening and eye assessment tool appropriate for children in Kindergarten through grade twelve;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2090, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     Your Committee notes that this measure, in the form in which it was received by your Committee, contained the following appropriation amounts for Fiscal Years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019:

 

     (1)  $75,000 in general funds to the Department of Health for a school health services coordinator position;

 

     (2)  $75,000 in general funds to the Department of Human Services for a school health services coordinator position; and

 

     (3)  $4,000,000 in general funds to be deposited into the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Special Fund and expended by the Department of Education to implement, expand, and sustain the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Program.

 

     In addition, stakeholders have requested a one-time general fund appropriation in the amount of $500,000 for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 to be deposited into the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Special Fund and expended by the Department of Education to purchase a vision screening and eye assessment tool.

 

     Your Committee respectfully requests that the Committee on Finance note these requested appropriation amounts, should that Committee consider this measure.

 

     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. 672, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 672, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Education.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair