STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1456-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.C.R. No. 71

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.C.R. No. 71 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE A STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUP TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENHANCE MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE THROUGH THE PROVISION OF LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene a Stakeholder Working Group to make recommendations to enhance meaningful access to health care in the State through the provision of language assistance services.

Your Committee received testimony in support from the Department of Health; Office of Language Access; AlohaCare; Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaii Primary Care Association; Hawaii Coalition for Immigrant Rights; Hawaii Public Health Institute; Waipahu Safe Haven Immigrant/Migrant Resource Center; Kula no na Po`e Hawaii o Papakolea, Kewalo, Kalawahine; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Kokua Kalihi Valley Comprehensive Family Services; Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights; and five individuals. Your committee received comments from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language adding the Healthcare Association of Hawaii to the working group; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 71, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 71, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Homelessness,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair