STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3895

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 35

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 35 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ASSESS THE SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTS OF MANDATORY HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR BIOMARKER TESTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of mandatory health insurance coverage for biomarker testing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency; Alzheimer's Association Hawaii Chapter; Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.; American Kidney Fund; American Association of Clinical Urology, Inc.; Biotechnology Innovation Organization; Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network; American Lung Association in Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Women Lawyers; and eight individuals.

Your Committee finds that biomarker testing is the analysis of a patient's tissue, blood, or other biospecimen for the presence of a biomarker, a type of precision medicine that looks for genes, proteins, and other substances that can provide information about a patient's chronic condition. Your Committee further finds that despite the fact that biomarker testing is essential to high-quality, personalized care to treat serious illness and enhance patients' quality of life, patients cannot easily access it due to inconsistent health insurance coverage for biomarker testing. This measure expands access to biomarker testing and enables health care providers to tailor treatments based on the unique characteristics of a patient's condition, leading to more effective and targeted interventions.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 35, and recommends its adoption.

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

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair