STAND. COM. REP. NO.
3^52.
Honolulu, Hawaii
APR 0 3 2024
RE: S.R. No. 37
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2024
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred S.R. No. 37 entitled:
"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO
CONVENE A STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUP TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS
TO ENHANCE MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE
THROUGH THE PROVISION OF LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the
Department of Health to convene a stakeholder working group to
make recommendations to enhance meaningful access to health care
in the State through the provision of language assistance
services.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Office of Language Access, AlohaCare, Hawai‘i Coalition
for Immigrant Rights, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic
Justice, Pacific Gateway Center, Hawai‘i Children's Action Network
Speaks!, Language Services Hawaii, Hawai‘i Medical Service
Association, and three individuals.
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the
Healthcare Association of Hawaii.
Your Committee finds that effective communication is crucial
in health care and human services to prevent misdiagnosis, delayed
medical treatment, and barriers to necessary services and
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programs. Your Committee finds however, that limited English
proficient (LEP) individuals and individuals living with physical
disabilities face barriers in equitably accessing health care when
language assistance and translation services are not provided, as
evidenced during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic when
communities having high numbers of LEP residents experienced
higher rates of incidence and mortality. This measure will
facilitate a discussion among stakeholders, including health care
providers, insurers, representatives of community-based
organizations, and language service providers, to make
recommendations to the Legislature to ensure that all individuals
in the State requiring language assistance services have
meaningful access to health care.
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. 37 and recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Health and Human
Services,
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 The Senate
Thirty-Second Legislature
State of Hawaii
Record of Votes
Committee on Health and Human Services
HHS
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
SR 33- HKS O3|2.Z/Zo7_4
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to: _____________________________
The Recommendation is:
Pass, unamended Pass, with amendments Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
SAN BUENAVENTURA, Joy A. (C)
AQUINO. Henry J.C. (VC)
KEOHOKALOLE, Jarrett
SHIMABUKURO. Maile S.L.
AWA, Brenton
TOTAL
Recommendation: —
Adopted Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee's Signature^— •
w
Distribution; Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/27/23