STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1923

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 28

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 28 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF MARCH AS HAWAII KIDNEY AWARENESS MONTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase awareness of chronic kidney disease in the State by designating the month of March as Hawaii Kidney Awareness Month.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, The Queen's Health System, Kaiser Permanente Hawai‘i, Liberty Dialysis-Hawaii, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, Hawaii Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, U.S. Renal Care, Chronic Disease Coalition, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and four individuals.

Your Committees find that the State's kidney failure rate is thirty percent higher than the national rate. Your Committees also find that symptoms of kidney disease do not manifest until later stages, and therefore, nine out of ten individuals having early kidney disease fail to realize that they have the disease. Your Committees further find that it is possible to delay or prevent chronic kidney disease through early detection and appropriate management of the causes of kidney failure, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. This measure designates the month of March as Hawaii Kidney Awareness Month to increase awareness of chronic kidney disease in the State.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Transportation and Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 28, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

________________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair