STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1525-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.R. No. 106

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.R. No. 106 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TELEHEALTH WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF WIDESPREAD TELEHEALTH ADOPTION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND IDENTIFY PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL TO OPTIMIZE TELEHEALTH UTILIZATION AS THE STATE TRANSITIONS OUT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the establishment of a Telehealth Working Group to examine the impact of widespread telehealth adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify public policy initiatives at the federal and state level to optimize telehealth utilization as the state transitions out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services; State Health Planning and Development Agency; University of Hawaii College of Social Sciences and John A. Burns School of Medicine; Hawaii Medical Service Association; and Grassroots Institute of Hawaii. Your Committee received Comments on this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Your Committee has amended the measure by:

(1) Amending the composition of the working group; and

(2) Making technical, non-substantive 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.R. No. 106, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 106, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair