STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1468

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 1344

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1344, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Replace statutory references to school health aides with school health assistants to reflect updated job titles; and

(2) Authorize school health assistants to administer medication at school with the approval of a health care professional within the Department of Education, the Department of Health, or a health care service pursuant to a written agreement with the Department of Education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Health, University of Hawai‘i at Manoā Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing, Epilepsy Foundation of Hawaii, and Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that all medication requests to be administered by a school health assistant are currently reviewed and must be approved by the Department of Health. Your Committee notes that some schools currently have a registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, or other specialized health care provider on campus through written agreements with the Department of Education. Your Committee believes that enabling school-based licensed healthcare staff, pursuant to a written agreement with the Department of Education, to approve the administration of medication by school health assistants will allow for more efficient, accessible, and safe student care.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000; and

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

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. 1344, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1344, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair