STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1840-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 3279

S.D. 1

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 3279, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the State of Well-Being Project to assess and enhance tier 1 and tier 2 mental health support services for all key stakeholder communities across the State, track and measure aggregate mental health trends, and hire and train mental health specialists to lead project execution; and

(2) Appropriate funds to establish mental health specialist positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning; Office of Wellness and Resilience; Early Learning Board; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Elected Officials to Protect America; The Contentment Foundation; and one individual.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3279, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3279, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair