STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3624

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 183

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.R. No. 183 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A SUNRISE ANALYSIS ON MANDATING DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE COVERAGE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a sunrise analysis on mandating dental and vision insurance coverage.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of the Auditor.

Your Committees find that preventive dental and vision care has a direct impact on a person's health and wellness. In addition to cavities and gum disease, dental health is also linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Further, a vision exam can identify more than just the need for corrective lenses, but can uncover eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Notwithstanding, your Committees find that over 223,000 Hawaii residents do not have dental insurance coverage and the same number of residents or more, also do not have vision insurance coverage. Therefore, this measure requests the Auditor to conduct a social and financial assessment of mandating dental and vision coverage to further efforts to support the health of residents in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Identifying S.B. No. 2259, S.D. 2 (2024), as the specific legislative measure that would mandate the dental and vision insurance treatment coverage described in this measure, which is requested to be analyzed pursuant to sections 23-51 and 23-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Amending its title to clarify its amended purpose; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 183, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 183, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce and Consumer Protection and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair