STAND. COM. REP. NO.2594

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: S.B. No. 2227

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2227 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR NEIGHBOR ISLAND DENTAL CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the unique dental care needs of the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui.

Your Committee finds that dental care is an important component of overall health. Unfortunately, not all residents have access to such care. The Oral Health 2001 Report identified neighbor island disparity and access as an obstacle to dental health on the neighbor islands. There is an acute shortage of dentists in some areas, combined with a high poverty rate that puts dental care out of reach for too many state residents. The intent of this bill is to address the specific and unique needs of dental health for the residents of the neighbor islands.

It is your Committee's intent that the funds be used to provide as much dental care directly on each neighbor island as possible.

Your Committee has amended this bill by making the appropriation blank for the purposes of further discussion.

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 S.B. No. 2227, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2227, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair