STAND. COM. REP. NO. 572-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2744

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. 2744 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ORAL HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an Oral Health Task Force to review information and data on the status of oral health in the State and make recommendations to improve the State's oral health infrastructure; and

(2) Appropriate funds to help facilitate the work of the Oral Health Task Force.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Human Services; Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities; University of Hawai‘i System; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; Hawaii Dental Hygienists' Association; Papa Ola Lokahi; Hawai‘i Oral Health Coalition; Hawaii Dental Service; AlohaCare; and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices; Disability and Communication Access Board; and Hawaii Dental Association.

Your Committee finds that the State's oral health program is not meeting the needs of Hawaii's residents. An oral health program is a critical part of all state public health departments. However, in 2009, the Department of Health's Dental Health Division was eliminated as part of that year's budget cuts. Your Committee believes that the Oral Health Task Force proposed by this measure will be instrumental in identifying the key elements and resources needed to rebuild the State's public health dental program and improve overall oral health in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the composition of the Oral Health Task Force;

(2) Deleting language that would make the Oral Health Task Force exempt from the State's Sunshine Laws;

(3) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

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

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it choose to deliberate on this measure, to consider appropriating $200,000 to allow the Department of Health to contract with a consultant and $79,872 to establish one Program Specialist V position within the Family Health Services Division of the Department of Health to facilitate the work of the Oral Health Task Force.

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. 2744, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2744, 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