STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2468

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2289

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2289 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KALAUPAPA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Department of Health to include in its annual report to the Legislature regarding Kalaupapa Settlement, details and updated information, as available, regarding the permanent transfer to other governmental entities of the powers and duties of the Department over Kalaupapa Settlement.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Ka ʻOhana O Kalaupapa, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that Kalaupapa, within Kalawao County on the island of Molokai, holds great significance in the State's history. As a settlement for patients with Hansen's Disease, many Hawaii residents were exiled to Kalaupapa to live out the rest of their lives. Under existing law, Kalaupapa Settlement is under the jurisdiction and control of the Department of Health. In recent years, the number of patients residing at Kalaupapa has declined, prompting the Department of Health and other relevant governmental agencies to prepare for the eventual transfer of jurisdiction over Kalawao County to another government agency when there are no longer patients residing in Kalaupapa, including the responsibility over infrastructure repairs and environmental remediation. This measure will keep the Legislature informed of this important transition.

Your Committee notes the testimony from various members of the Molokai community, including Ka ʻOhana O Kalaupapa. As longstanding stakeholders in the care of Kalaupapa Settlement and its patients, the community holds significant knowledge that may be critical to future plans by the Department of Health. As the Department commences plans for the transition, greater community engagement is needed to adequately plan for the future while remaining respectful of current patients. Accordingly, there is a need to amend this measure to promote greater community transparency and ensure accurate and detailed reporting of activities at Kalaupapa Settlement.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Health to report on its community engagement efforts, including with community groups and the Molokai community;

(2) Clarifying that governmental agencies other than the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands or the federal government may assume transfer of Kalaupapa Settlement; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2289, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2289, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair