STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1850-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3125

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3125, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL CARE FOR MINORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize minors who are fourteen years of age or older to consent to medical care and services for sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, and family planning services, including the prevention of sexually transmitted infections; and

(2) Require health insurance plans and health care providers to maintain confidentiality policies and procedures for minor-initiated medical care and services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Disability and Communication Access Board; Parents And Children Together; Hawai‘i Youth Services Network; Essential Access Health; Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates - Hawai‘i; Opportunity Youth Action Hawai‘i; Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; and eight individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Federation of Republican Women and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that existing law allows minors to consent to medical care related to the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases but not the prevention of those diseases. Your Committee further finds that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention medications, which have been approved for use in at-risk minors since 2018, are safe and highly effective at preventing HIV. This measure will ensure that Hawaii's at-risk minors are able to access critical, life-saving medication that would prevent the spread of HIV in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2025; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3125, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3125, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair