STAND. COM. REP. NO. 273-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1921

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1921 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOBILE VACCINATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health for mobile vaccination services for homebound individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Executive Office on Aging; Hawaii Medical Service Association; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that vaccines are a critical intervention that dramatically decreases the health impacts of diseases that affect the general population. During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency allowed for the deployment of mobile vaccination units to populations who had limited access to health care facilities or pharmacies. This measure further supports community vaccination efforts and will ensure that more people have access to vaccines that can reduce the severity of illness and the transmission of disease.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the appropriation for mobile vaccination services is for populations with reduced access to vaccines;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $122,256 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Program Specialist IV position and $1,350,000 for the mobile vaccination services contract.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1921, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1921, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair