STAND. COM. REP. NO.  404-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1662

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1662, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that timely diagnostic audiologic evaluation reports related to follow-up treatment and support of newborns who did not pass newborn hearing screening are provided to the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawaii Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that children who are deaf or hard of hearing who receive early hearing screening and appropriate follow-up treatment and support have better vocabulary outcomes, reach their language and communication milestones, and are language-ready for school. 

 

     Your Committee notes the concerns raised by Kaiser Permanente Hawaii regarding the potential unauthorized sharing of confidential protected health information since this measure does not require parental consent before releasing newborn hearing screening results to the Department of Health.

 

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that this measure applies to infants who do not pass the infant hearing screening test; and

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

 

     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. 1662, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1662, H.D. 2, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair