STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1888

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1296

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1296, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to develop strategies to timely assist deaf and hard of hearing children.

Specifically, the measure establishes and appropriates moneys for an Early Intervention Services Working Group within the Department of Health to:

(1) Study and recommend ways to assist and support deaf and hard of hearing children, including best practices for early intervention services and education; and

(2) Develop strategies to implement the recommendations.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Executive Office on Early Learning, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that establishing an Early Intervention Services Working Group will help the Department of Health Early Intervention Section identify strategies and best practices to support young deaf and hard of hearing children, assist those children in developing oral language or sign language skills, and ensure that they have the language and communication skills needed to learn effectively in school.

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. 1296, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair