STAND. COM. REP. NO. 298-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1970

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1970 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII CANCER CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii Cancer Center to support the ongoing work of the Hawaii Tumor Registry.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the American Cancer Society; Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; Hawaii Medical Association; and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that recent restrictions in federal funding jeopardize the ability of the Hawaii Tumor Registry to continue to provide robust cancer surveillance that is critical to the health of the State's residents. Appropriating funds to fill this gap ensures that the Hawaii Tumor Registry will continue to make positive impacts for state residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $1,539,445 to be allocated as follows:

(1) $460,266 to offset reduction in federal funding;

(2) $579,179 to cover mandatory minimum twenty percent cost sharing;

(3) $300,000 for the tumor biorepository; and

(4) $200,000 for a statewide pathology reporting software.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1970, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1970, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair