STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1273

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 908

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 908, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOME VISITING PROGRAM,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health to establish the Hawaii home visiting program for hospital-based screening and home visiting services for the families of newborns at risk for poor health and safety outcomes.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Early Learning, Child and Family Service, Catholic Charities Hawaii, the Hawaii Family Support Institute, and the March of Dimes Foundation, Hawaii Chapter.

 

     Your Committee finds that home visiting is a prevention strategy used by states and communities to improve the health and well-being of women, children, and families at risk for adverse developmental, health, and safety concerns.  Home visiting programs have been shown to reduce costs associated with foster care placements, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, unintended pregnancies, and other more costly outcomes and interventions.  Your Committee believes that this measure will help secure these benefits for Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, in order to promote continued discussion of the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 908, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 908, H.D. 2, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair