STAND. COM. REP. NO. 590

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1254

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1254 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KALAUPAPA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote improved care of residents at Kalaupapa.

Specifically, this measure declares the Legislature's intent to ensure that each resident of Kalaupapa is treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, and sensitivity by the Department of Health. In addition, the measure requires the Department to ensure the residents' personal liberties, autonomy, and dignity.

Your Committee finds that patient residents of Kalaupapa have endured many hardships and stigmas as Hansen's disease patients and deserve to be treated with respect. The Department can assist in achieving this goal and should do so to the greatest extent possible for each patient resident at Kalaupapa.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure to clarify the following:

(1) The Legislature's declaration applies to patient residents; and

(2) The Department is to ensure and protect the personal liberty, autonomy, and dignity of each patient resident at Kalaupapa to the greatest extent possible.

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. 1254, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1254, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair