STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3173

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2744

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2744, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

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

(2) Require the Oral Health Task Force to submit reports to the Legislature; and

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

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Association of Health Plans, University of Hawaiʻi System, Hawaiʻi Oral Health Coalition, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawaii Dental Service, Papa Ola Lokahi, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Kūpuna Caucus, Hawaii Island Community Health Center, AlohaCare, and five individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Dental Association.

Your Committee finds that oral health is a particularly critical issue in the State with many children and adults suffering from preventable dental diseases. Your Committee further finds that the Department of Health's Dental Health Division was eliminated in 2009 due to budget cuts. Accordingly, this measure's proposed Oral Health Task Force will be instrumental in identifying key elements necessary to rebuild a public health dental program in the Department of Health and improve overall oral health in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that permits the Oral Health Task Force members to meet and discuss task force business without having quorum pursuant to section 92-2.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to permitted interactions of members; provided that the members convening in discussion without quorum report the matters discussed at the next duly noticed meeting of the task force and that no commitment to vote is made or sought;

(2) Making it effective upon its approval; and

(3) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2744, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2744, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair