STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3370

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2515

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Health to establish and operate a laboratory capable of testing for diseases, air and water quality issues, and other complex issues; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Department of Health to establish the laboratory.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply. 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 current state laboratory building is approximately twenty-seven years old and was not designed to accommodate current testing needs. The laboratory building's facilities often fail and require repair due to its age, negatively effecting testing. Additionally, the building is not designed for mass testing for infectious diseases and water quality. Your Committee also finds that the laboratory building was not designed to perform certain tests such as testing for blood alcohol levels. Any tests that the state laboratory cannot perform must be sent to the mainland for testing. In order to maintain public health and safety, it is paramount that the State have a larger and modernized laboratory. This measure requires the Department of Health to establish and operate a laboratory capable of testing for diseases, air and water quality, and other complex issues, and appropriates funds to establish the laboratory.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

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. 2515, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair