STAND. COM. REP. NO. 360-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1977

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 Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1977 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Health to procure a Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application to provide qualified individuals with information on federal and state program and resources for prenatal, pregnant, and postpartum individuals and their families.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women; Hawaiʻi Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives; Philips; and March of Dimes. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that timely access to accurate health information is a key determinant of positive health outcomes for mothers and infants. Your Committee further finds that digital tools, when thoughtfully designed, can empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and increase access to available federal and state services and resources. Your Committee believes that making a maternal and infant health information mobile application available at no cost to qualified individuals in the State will improve maternal and infant health outcomes and enable the State to identify service gaps and improve existing programs.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Health to procure the Maternal and Infant Health Information Mobile Application no later than January 1, 2027;

(2) Requiring the Department of Health to submit an annual report to the Legislature beginning with the Regular Session of 2029;

(3) Requiring the Department of Health to determine the maximum number of program participants by rule;

(4) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

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

(6) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment 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 $150,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1977, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1977, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair