STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2253

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2124

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2124 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to improve the overall health of Hawaii's population and reduce the incidence of cervical cancer in the State.

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Health, to provide to the parents of all female sixth grade public school students, without charge, accurate educational information on the human papillomavirus, the link between human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer, and the availability of human papillomavirus immunizations; and

 

     (2)  Appropriates funds for the Department of Health to establish the foregoing educational program and provide human papillomavirus immunizations to all female public school students in the sixth grade.

 

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Health and the American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific Inc.  Comments on the measure were also submitted by one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that the two most common human papillomavirus types cause approximately seventy per cent of cervical cancer.  Each year in Hawaii, approximately sixty-one women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, with approximately twelve dying from the disease annually.  Your Committees find that two available vaccines offer proven protection against cervical cancer, and such protection is estimated to persist for at least four and one-half years.  This measure requires the Department of Education to develop educational information on human papillomavirus, the link between human papillomavirus and cervical cancer, and the availability of human papillomavirus immunizations.  It also provides funds for human papillomavirus immunizations to be made available to female public school students in the sixth grade.  Your Committees determine that these prophylactic measures will go a long way toward saving the precious lives of our keiki.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2124 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Health,

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair