STAND. COM. REP. NO. 162-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2392

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2392 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic mitigation efforts.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and Hawai‘i Primary Care Association. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (C0VID-19) pandemic has devastated the world. While the deployment of multiple vaccinations across the world has helped reduce the spread of the disease and saved many lives, the pandemic continues to spread and the Department of Health requires logistical support for its continued efforts to fight COVID-19. Your Committee further finds that without ongoing and expeditious financial support for the medical administration of COVID-19 vaccines, progress toward higher vaccination rates is anticipated to slow. This measure will assist the Department of Health by providing necessary funds to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Making this measure an emergency appropriation for COVID-19 mitigation efforts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes that although the appropriation amount is blank, the Department of Health's testimony requests an appropriation of $12,000,000 for surge-response vaccination activities through June 30, 2022.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2392, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2392, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair