STAND. COM. REP. NO. ‘Sbfi
Honolulu, Hawaii
APRULZUB
RE: s.R. No. 177
s.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty—Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.R. No. 177 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
SERVICES TO STUDY PROVIDING CERTAIN HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
FOR ALL CHILDREN AND PREGNANT PERSONS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE
QUALIFY FOR COVERAGE IF NOT FOR THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the
Department of Human Services to study providing certain health
insurance coverage for all children and pregnant persons who would
otherwise qualify for coverage if
not for their immigration
status.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, Hawai‘i Children's Action
Network Speaksl, Hawai‘i Coalition for Immigrant Rights, and three
individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure
from the Department of Human Services.
finds that prenatal care is fundamental to
Your Committee
reproductive and infant health and that health care services for
children are critical to children's well—being and development.
Despite the importance of health care, undocumented immigrants are
unable to receive health insurance coverage through Medicaid and
health exchanges established under part II of the federal Patient
2023—2520 SR SSCR SMA.dOCX
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 STAND.
Page 2
COM. REP. No.
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Protection and Affordable Care Act. Lack of access to affordable
health care prevents many low—income undocumented immigrants from
receiving routine and emergency medical care and leads to
persistent inequities in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
of health conditions for these individuals. Studying the State's
capacity to expand access to health care coverage to all children
and pregnant persons, regardless of immigration status, is
therefore a critical first step to addressing health inequity in
the State.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Requesting the Department of Human Services to submit a
report on the study proposed by this measure to the
Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the
convening of the Regular Session of 2024, rather than by
October 31, 2023; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the
purposes of clarity and consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R.
No. 177, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the
form attached hereto as S.R. No. 177, S.D. l.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Health and Human
Services,
2023-2520 SR SSCR SMA.dOCX
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 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawai‘i
Record of Votes
Committee on Health and Human Services
HHS
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
5/1 I77 HHJ‘ 3/w/22
D
.
The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to:
The Recommendation is:
D Pass, unamended Mass, with amendments D Hold D Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
SAN BUENAVENTURA, Joy A. (C)
AQUINO, Henry J.C. (VC) )Q u,
'
W
y
MORIWAKI, Sharon Y. 54 M )k
‘
w
SHIMABUKURO, Maile S.L. 7k“!‘
I
M
AWA, Brenton X
ToTA L 3 O ( l
Recommendation:
Adopted D Not Adopted
Chair’s or
/-\ F
Desigfiefiggj—atL
Distribution: ofinal Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 11/30/22