STAND. COM. REP. NO. 409

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 510

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 510 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Formally establish the Hawaii keiki:  health and ready to learn program within the Department of Education; and

     (2)  Appropriate $4,000,000 to expand and sustain the program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Executive Office on Early Learning, University of Hawai‘i System, Hawaii State Center for Nursing, State Public Charter School Commission, Hawaii State Teachers Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Hui for Excellence in Education, Hawaii Pacific Health, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Lanai Community Health Center, American Diabetes Association, Kapiolani Child Protection Center, IMUAlliance, Project Vision Hawaii, Hawaii Children's Action Network, and fifteen individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the American Academy of Pediatrics and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Hawaii Public Health Institute, Coalition for Children with Special Needs, and Special Education Advisory Council.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii keiki:  healthy and ready to learn program has expanded access to health services for many of the State's students.  Your Committee further finds that the partnerships that the Department of Education has formed with other state and private entities have created a foundation upon which an expanded program may be built.  Your Committee additionally finds that an expanded program will be able to offer services in new areas of healthcare that students have not previously had access to in Hawaii's schools.  This measure will formally establish and expand the Hawaii keiki:  healthy and ready to learn program to offer improved access to healthcare to Hawaii's students.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Education to collaborate with the University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene in addition to the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services;

     (2)  Adding an appropriation of $500,000 for a vision screening and eye assessment tool appropriate for children in kindergarten through grade twelve; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 510, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 510, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair