House Standing Committee on Health

Hi. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the State Capital Room 329 and to this morning's hearing on the, from the, on to the Committee, House Committee on Health. And on one measure, at least, we, we are jointly hearing a measure with the Committee on Human Resources and Homelessness. So on behalf of myself and Chair Marten, I'd like to welcome all of you.

It is Wednesday, March 25 09:30 AM. So let's go right into the measures at hand. First up, we have, SB 2408 relating to compassionate access to medical Cannabis. First up, we have Department of Health.

Chairs, Vice Chairs, and Members of the Committee. Andrew Goff from the Office of Medical Cannabis. This bill would essentially allow certain medical facilities to employ the use of medical cannabis for terminally ill patients and registered patients for over, that are over 65. This is an important bill for access for terminally ill patients, and we are happy to work with you folks and any medical facilities out there to educate and facilitate this moving forward. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you. On Zoom, I believe we have Hawaii Alliance for Cannabis Reform. Karen O'Keefe?

Not present.

Not present. Also on Zoom, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Nikos Leverenz.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Members. Nikos Leverenz with Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii. As people may know here, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii was instrumental in passing, helping to pass the original medical cannabis law in 2000 and and also the medical cannabis dispensary law in 2015, and we strongly support access to medical cannabis for patients, including those who are receiving care in health care facilities.

While we, we would like a version of Ryan's Law that is a little more mandatory, as we explained in this letter, we're hopeful that, the state will pursue a course of action that will, broaden access to such in, in Hawaii. Mahalo for the opportunity for our testimony.

Thank you. Also on Zoom, Moira Flannery.

Not present.

Not present. On Zoom, Robert Bentz.

Yes. He's here. Just not unmuting.

Robert Bentz. Okay. We seem to have a problem, technical problem. Let's move on to anyone else I missed who wishes to testify on SB 2408. Please let us know. Okay. And nobody on Zoom.

Look's like Robert's back. Do I try again?

Robert, on Zoom. we have Robert Bentz.

Okay. Alright. Let's move on then. If there are no other people wishing to testify. So Members, any questions?

Seeing none. Okay. Let's move on. SB 3302 regarding home farm products and Department of Health.

Good morning, Chair Takayama and Chair Lisa Marten, Members of Committee on Health and the Committee on Human Services Homelessness. My name is Peter Oshiro. I'm the program manager for the Department of Health, Food Safety Branch. We stand on our written testimony with comments

On Zoom, Lauren Zirbel, Hawaii Food Industry Association.

Not present.

Not present. On Zoom, Ted, no, I'm sorry. In person, Ted Kefalas, Grassroots Institute of Hawaii. Not present. In person or on Zoom. Let's see. That's all the people I have listed as testifying.

Anyone else wishing to testify on SB 3302? Seeing none. Members, any questions? Okay. Let's move on.

By the way, for the identification of the audience as well as people who might be tuning in, we've gone through many of these bills in the house version, which, in most cases, are identical, if not very similar to the Senate versions, which is probably why there may not be any more questions. So, SB 2934 proposing funding for a Central Maui Ambulance. Doctor Jack Lewin, SHPDA, in support. Office of Hawaiian affairs, McKenna Woodward.

Morning, chair, vice chair, members of the committee. McKenna Woodward on behalf of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs in support of this measure. OHA supports this because reliable emergency medical access is a basic health equity issue, especially in rural and geographically isolated areas where distance, workforce shortages, and transport constraints can worsen outcomes.

This need is especially important for native Hawaiian beneficiaries who continue to face disproportionate burdens in time sensitive conditions including cardiovascular disease, where faster response and continuity of care can reduce preventable death and long-term disability. Central Maui's growth makes stronger emergency response capacity increasingly important for residents and visitors, and this investment helps emergency infrastructure keep pace with need.

For these reasons, OHA respectfully urges the committee to pass this measure. Mahalo.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Hawaii State Department of Health, Garrett Hall.

Aloha. Good morning, chairs, vice chairs. Yeah. Garrett Hall, Chief of EMS for the Department of Health. We stand on our written testimony but apologize for the being late.

We were responding to an event that was going on. So, please accept our apologies. Here for any questions you may have.

And just for the record, your funding request remains 1.7—75?

Yes.

Million dollars.

That's currently the price that we're operating the ambulance in the state.

Okay. Thank you very much.

I see we have an appearance by Dr. Jack Lewin, SHPDA. Are you ready to testify on that?

Chair, vice chair, we are strongly in support of this. This is a definitely needed service on Maui, and we, it's overdue, so we know that...be supported. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, doctor. Jamie Pagan in support. I think that's it. We have written testimony from the Council Chair of Maui, Alice Lee, in support, as well as 1, 2, 3, 4 individuals. Anyone else I missed who wishes to testify on the SB 2934?

Seeing none, members, any questions? Seeing none, let's go on to the next bill, which is SB 2175 relating to disposable smoking devices. First up, Department of Health.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the committee. I'm Lola Irvin representing the Department of Health. So, I thank you for hearing SB 2175 SD2, which the Department of Health supports. And we thank you as we work on this towards, you know, ensuring their Keiki can be healthy and that they also will have healthy environments.

In terms of situational awareness, since the last time we met here on this bill, what we have learned, meeting with national experts and, the Attorney General's office and also, having learned more about disposable e-cigarettes is that some of them are rechargeable.

So with 50,000 puffs, equal to more than 500 cigarettes, they're still considered disposable once the e-liquids are gone. But in order to, use all of the e-liquids and because of the screens that many of them have, they are rechargeable. And so, we are making a recommendation, an amendment, to the definition so that it would be inclusive of rechargeable batteries. And so there's a broader definition that is offered on page three of our testimony that would be more inclusive.

So they are still disposable, and they're disposable once the e-liquid is used because they're nonrefillable. However, the batteries can be recharged. So thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony.

Okay. Thank you very much. From Hawaii Public Health Institute, Kevin Ramirez.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the committee. Kevin Ramirez, program manager for the Coalition for Tobacco Free Hawaii, a program of the Hawaii Public Health Institute.

Thank you for hearing this measure and for the opportunity to just find strong support in this measure. We're pleased to see this bill being heard in the house. The house version of this bill, HB 2121 already passed the house and is moving in the senate.

Similar to the testimony of Department of Health, we would like to see this bill passed with amended language that mirrors HB 2121. Our written testimony details two amendments that would, one, broaden the definition of disposable e-cigarette to include any device that has liquid that is nonrefillable or has a battery that is not rechargeable or is intended to be discarded after its contents are used.

As currently drafted, SB 2175 currently requires all three criteria to be met in order to be considered a disposable e-cigarette, which limits the bill's impact. The second amendment we are asking for is to remove the exemption for products on the FDA authorized e-cigarette list.

That list has a total of 41 products, and 4 of those are disposables. So thank you for the opportunity to testify in support respectfully ask you to include to include our requested amendments and provide an effective date and pass this measure. Mahalo

Thank you. See on Zoom, AlohaCare?

Not present.

Not present. In support. Let's see. I have a number of other, I'm sorry. On Zoom, a Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawaii.

Aloha, Chair Takayama, Vice Chair Lee Loy, and Members of the house. My name is Gregory Cachero. I'm a student at Radford High School, and I'm speaking on behalf of the Coalition for Tobacco Free Hawaii Youth Council in strong support of SB 2175. Hawaii is facing the very serious youth vaping epidemic. Disposable e-cigarettes are especially popular because they're cheap, easy to use, and highly addictive.

Many of these products are illegal, and yet they remain widely in our communities, youth like me. These devices can also create major environment, environmental problems. They contain plastic, toxic chemicals, and lithium ion batteries, and there's no proper way to recycle them. As a result, they end up in our landfills, our oceans, and our beaches. In 2023 alone, nearly 500,000 disposable waste of drone everyday regions.

During our beach cleanings, our youth council have seen how deep backaways harms our environment. Many of these big parts sink to the sand in the ocean where they release toxic substances that threaten our marine life.

Disposable e-cigarettes also pose serious safety risks. The batteries cannot leave, catch fire, and burn away. Representatives from H Tower, Honolulu's energy facility that processes most of the Oahu space, shared that in 2024, this facility took about 250,000 fires.

4 to 4 ratio of lithium batteries. Every disposable e-cigarette contains a lithium ion battery, which is not meant to be thrown in the regular trash and can ignite and crush or damage the waste. These batteries, have safety risks, cause substantial damage with the potential to shut down the entire plant. In 2025, multiple incidents involving lithium ion batteries forced HVAC to go out of service for days, and even in some cases, weeks.

In certain incidents operated from unable to extinguish the fire ,fires, and we ultimately have to call the pilot. Also, some are, are like, exchange closed calls with these devices catching on fire.

One of our youth council also members shared that he witnessed exploding vape that his friend was using caught on fire. And as he was trying to get out of his hand, he threw it in the air and a nearby friend was burned on the neckline. Disposable e-cigarettes harm us all, our environment, and our sewage change. Passing SB 2175 is an important step towards protecting all our Hawaii and its communities.

We respectfully urge you to support this bill. Mahalo for the opportunity to testify.

Thank you very much. Also on Zoom, Shani Carvalho.

Yes. Aloha mai kakou. My name is Shani Carvalho of Paauilo, Hamakua, and I am in strong support of SB 2175 SD2 to end the sale of disposable e-cigarettes. As a tobacco treatment specialist for more than ten years now, I have seen first time how these disposable devices have affected our adults and youth by using them, and the addiction that comes with it causing come to their bodies.

However, not only are these disposable e-cigarettes harmful to our kino, but it also brings harm to our honua, our Earth. Every day, hundreds of thousands of these e-cigarettes are being discarded in the United States alone, all of which have nonbiodegradable plastics that are infiltrating our aina, including our, our high oceans, and so on and so forth. We see these devices

She disconnect.

We got disconnected, but we got the gist. Thank you. Don Weisman on Zoom.

Aloha, can you hear me okay?

Yes. We can. And see you too. Okay.

Good. Great. Aloha, Chair Takayama, Vice Chair Keohokapu-Lee Loy and Members of the Committee on Health. I, you have my written testimony. I'm basically standing on my written testimony in support of this measure, but I do request as the DOH and the Coalition for Tobacco Free Hawaii have made a request that the bill be amended to reflect language that was originally in the HB 2121 version that was sent over to the Senate.

I think that, that's a stronger that, that is stronger language that'll create a better bill for us. So I appreciate your support. Mahalo.

Thank you very much. Let's see. Did I? Just to note that we have written testimony from I counted about 30 individuals in support, 2 opposed. Oh, Laverne Moore. Oh, yeah. I see.

Aloha, Chair and Members of the committee. I'm Laverne Moore, a retired educator in strong support of this bill. I stand on my written testimony. Today, I am here to address the crisis of our classroom disruption fueled by severe nicotine addiction. As an educator, I've seen our primary mission to teach derailed by this physiological dependency on nicotine.

Addicted students suffer from profoundly short attention spans, unable to focus on complex tasks without the restlessness of withdrawal. More alarming, we see volatile and even violent behavior when students are nic sick or craving the next hit.

Their emotional regulation vanishes, shattering the safety of our learning environment. This addiction has also created a campus of black markets, creating bullying and fear into what should be a sanctuary for our children. To protect our students, we must close the loopholes. I urge you to adopt the language from House Bill 2121 removing the FDA authorized list exemption.

Basically, there should be no exemptions. And close the loopholes in the definition of disposal to ensure these products leave our shelves for good. Please pass, no, with 5,700,000 e-cigarettes discarded every second in 2023, our students are drowning in more than just physical ways.

They are drowning in addiction. Please pass this bill so the educators have an easier time in teaching. Mahalo.

Thank you, Laverne, and welcome back. I haven't seen you in a while. Thank you. Let's see. As I said, we have written statements in support for more than 30 individuals and opposition from I counted, three.

Anyone else I missed who wishes to testify on SB 2175, please step forward. Good morning.

Good morning. Good morning and aloha Chair, Vice Chair, and Members. My name is Dave Erdman. I'm the interim president and CEO of Retail Merchants of Hawaii. Retail Merchants of Hawaii respectively opposes this measure.

Retail Merchants of Hawaii recognizes and appreciates the serious health and environmental concerns raised in support of this bill by many of you in the room. However, Hawaii already prohibits sales to persons, anyone under 21.

If youth access remains high, enforcement of existing law should be the priority. A full ban may create unintended consequences, including shifting sales to other products in this category or cigarettes and also to unregulated channels while impacting compliant local retailers.

We also note that Hawaii currently lacks a comprehensive battery disposal solution for common household batteries and smaller electronic devices, which remains a broader and growing issue not addressed by this measure, but stated that this measure is about waste.

Actually, during the rains, we were changing our batteries in and out, but we have no policy on where to dispose of them. They go in the trash.

So that's part of what this bill is about is the disposal of electronic devices with batteries. We encourage a more balanced approach focused on enforcement, education, practical battery solution, and practical battery solutions. Mahalo for the opportunity to testify.

Thank you very much. And Mister Erdman, we have your written testimony as well.

Yes. Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you. Last call. Anyone else wishing to testify on this bill? If not, Members, questions? Seeing none, let's move on to the next bill, which is SB 2418 relating to drug paraphernalia.

On Zoom, the Attorney General's Office or present? Anyway, we have a written testimony in opposition from the Attorney General's Office, Department of Health.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the committee. Tim McCormick with the Communicable Disease and Public Health Nursing Division of the Department of Health. And the Department of Health, appreciates the intent of this measure and offers comments focused on the public health implications. Reducing access, reducing legal access to drug paraphernalia can help people who use drugs reduce their risk for infection, injury, and overdose.

We do have some concerns about some of the language added in the Senate Draft One, particularly, while we we certainly don't have any concerns about, retaining legal prohibitions for individuals who manufacture or or sell illicit substances, we are concerned that the prohibitions on preparing and processing could be applied to individual drug users.

So we respectfully urge the committee to consider clarifying that the prohibitions not apply to individuals with respect to their individual drug use or clear or removing processing and preparing. And I'm available for any questions that you may have. Thank yoy

Thank you very much. Department of Law Enforcement.

Good morning. I'm Jared Redulla. I'm the Deputy Director. Our department is offering comments on the bill. We really understand sort of the criminal justice reform concern at the root of the bill. That said, we still think that there needs to be baseline regulation in this area, and that's really important because the drug scene is always changing.

We don't know today what might happen tomorrow. New drugs and new ingenious ways of using them occur all the time. And having a baseline regulation like this allows us to have some peak so that when I come across this kind of paraphernalia out in the field, out in the wild, I can take action. I can take that away.

And without it, I wouldn't wanna have to come here a couple of years from now and say, hey, can you put this law back? Because we're dealing with a new crime trend. So, you know, we get the idea of reform, but still we think that we do need some baseline regulation. Thank you.

Thank you. Let's see. On Zoom, Honolulu Police Department.

Good morning, Chairs and Members of the committee. Clinton Corpuz. I'm the acting captain for the Narcotics Division. I'm here on behalf of the Honolulu Police Department to provide testimony in opposition of SB 2418 relating to the promotion of controlled substances. Our opposition is based on the concern that repealing drug paraphernalia laws could inadvertently encourage increased drug use and contribute to public health and safety issues.

First, by decriminalizing drug paraphernalia, it may lead to easier access to items that support substance abuse and potentially normalizing drug use, especially among our youth and vulnerable populations.

Public health research generally indicates that greater of availability of drug paraphernalia can correlate with high rates of substance abuse. Secondly, unregulated paraphernalia could lead to public safety concerns, such as discarded items in public spaces, posing risks of injury or health hazards to the community.

The Honolulu Police Department urges you to oppose SB 2418 a relating to promotion of controlled substances. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

Thank you, captain. Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii.

Aloha, chair, vice chair, members. Nikos Leverenz with Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii. And on that front, we'll stand on our written testimony, and we offered some observations regarding the definition of manufacture under current code section, but today I'd like to testify on behalf of Hawaii Health's, Health and Harm Reduction Center.

We strongly support the modification of our state stroke paraphernalia law to help strengthen its landmark syringe access program by eliminating the looming threat of criminalization for the possession of disease preventing and life saving supplies, particularly among healthcare workers and those from vulnerable communities.

An unintended negative consequence of the current paraphernalia law is that our staff are not legally allowed to support disease prevention unless the equipment is specifically exempted. As such, this bill will protect our staff who are engaged in public health work, as well as others engaged in the prevention of blood borne pathogens like hepatitis C.

In short, this bill strengthens our state's capacity in its ongoing efforts, in public health, in disease prevention, and overdose prevention. And since Doctor Lewin is in the room, deep gratitude for, to him for leading the Department of Health in adopting a statewide syringe access program that has successfully kept HIV transmission rates low for three and a half decades. Mahalo for the opportunity to provide testimony.

Thank you very much. Let's see. We have, just for the record, I wanna note that we have written testimony in opposition from the Maui and Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorneys as well as the Kauai and Hawaii Police Departments in opposition. And we have a written testimony in support from seven individuals. Anyone I missed who wishes to testify on SB 2418 either presently or on Zoom?

Seeing none. Members, any questions? Seeing none, let's move on to and congratulations to doctor. SB 3203 relating to air medical services. Doctor Jack Mullen.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members. SHPDA strongly believes this this is necessary. We're at least we're seeing increasing numbers of emergency air transports, and we want our EMS system to be as modern as possible. So we think this bill is an essential infrastructure piece. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Hawaii State Department of Health, Garrett Hall.

Aloha. Good morning again, Chair, Vice Chair, Committee Members. Garrett Hall with the Department of Health. We stand on our written testimony, here to answer any questions you may have. Mahalo.

Thank you. Thank you. Hawaii Medical Association in support on Zoom. AlohaCare?

Not present, Chair.

Not present. Yeah. Queen's Health System in support. Let's see. That's all the testimony I have.

Anyone else wishing me to testify in SB 3203? Members, any questions? Seeing none, let's move on to the next bill, which is SB 2095 creating a working group on. First up, Department of Health, Environmental Health Administration.

Good morning, Chair Takayama, Vice Chair, and Members of the committee. My name is Grace Simmons speaking on behalf of the Department of Health. The department understands the need to have a strategic plan to address PFAS in our environment, and a working group is an essential step.

We're not opposed to the measure. However, we are requesting funds in order to set up the working group, collect data, and, draft and submit the annual reports. Thank you for the opportunity to testify.

While you're on, how much are you requesting?

We're requesting $30,000.

Okay. Thank you. Let's see. Next up, Hawaii Department of Agriculture.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the committee. I'm Esther Riechert with Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. We stand on how written testimony in support of this bill.

Thank you. In support. On Zoom, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

Aloha, Chair Takayama, Vice Chair Keohokapu-Lee and Members of the committee. My name is Melodie Aduja and I am testifying on behalf of the Environmental Caucus of Hawaii. This bill is urgently needed. Over the past week, the Kona Low storms overwhelmed the City and County of Honolulu's Wahiawa Wastewater Treatment Plant, causing wastewater to overflow directly into Lake Wilson.

At the same time, the reservoir was rising towards the 85 foot evacuation threshold, which forced downstream evacuations in Wailua and Haleiwa. That overflow carried stormwater, municipal waste sewage, microbial, bio pathogens, and PFAS chemicals through the watershed.

Today, residents are being told to boil their tap water for three minutes before drinking it. This is a real time example of how quickly contaminants, including PFAS, can move during extreme weather conditions. PFAS does not break down. They travel with floodwater, accumulate in soil and groundwater, and once they enter our aquifers, they are extraordinarily difficult to remove.

This bill creates a coordinated structure Hawaii needs to understand and respond to these risks. The PFAS working group brings together DOH, DLNR, the Board of Agriculture, Board of Water Supply, UH researchers, and community stakeholders.

This is the right mix of agencies and expertise to identify PFAS sources and exposure pathways, recommend testing locations of water, soil, fish, and biota, evaluate environmental and public health risks, review regulatory gaps, and propose science based strategies for monitoring, mitigation, and prevention.

The recent Kona Low events show that PFAS contamination is not hypothetical. Wastewater spills and flooding can mobilize PFAS into drinking water systems and agricultural lands.

Without coordinated monitoring and reporting, Hawaii is left reacting to emergencies instead of preventing them. For these reasons, the Environmental Caucus strongly supports SB 2095.

Establishing a PFAS working group is a necessary step towards protecting Hawaii's drinking water ecosystems and public health, especially in severe weather becomes, especially as severe weather becomes more frequent. Mahalo for the opportunity to testify.

Thank you very much. We have written testimony in support from the Board of Water Supply as well as the Hawaii Food and Policy Group and three individuals. Anyone, else wishing to testify on SB 2095? Seeing none, members, any questions? Seeing none, let's move on to next bill, which is SB 2340 relating to community foster family homes.

Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Daintry Bartoldus.

Thank you, Daintry Bartoldus, for the Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities. We're in strong support of this measure. I'd just like to highlight some areas of it. When we first came up with this bill, it's because people are moving from adult foster homes into community care. The age limit was moved since 64, 1915 because they're supposed to age in place that they're moved.

So this concerned us, so we came up with this bill. As this bill has been going through, we have found that through the Department of Health Developmental Disabilities Division for the adult foster homes, they have over 30 vacancies on Oahu and a 200 person wait list to open up an adult foster home. On your community care, foster family homes, there's shortage. There are huge shortage.

Even though they have over 100 homes in every county on the neighbor islands, adult foster homes have less than five on the neighbor islands in the counties.

So we have two programs here. One is very good with getting homes opened up. One is very good at getting caregivers who wanna become caregivers. So we wanna merge this, give the option there to merge it. We have adult foster families.

They have already been cross trained for individuals with IDD and also like to mention other concerns that happen to the typical population happens to our ID folks.

So when you hear that the cross training would be difficult, we disagree with that. It's been happening. Adult residential care homes already have expanded to beds that allow this mix. So it is possible, and we think it's a good solution to the shortages that we have of the care homes out there. Thank you very much for this opportunity to provide testimony.

Thank you very much. On Zoom, Hawaii State Department of Health.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members. My name is Ryan Lee. I'm the medical director for the Hawaii State Department of Health Developmental Disabilities. We stand on our written testimony, offering comments. Thank you.

Thank you. Department of Human Services.

Hello, Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members. This is Ranjani Starr for the Department of Human Services. The department stands on its testimony and is happy to answer any questions you might have.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you.

Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

Yes. Good morning. Thank you, Chair. I'm Louis Erteschik, director of Disability Rights Center. We've been joined with the DD Council in strong support of this. In particular, the problem is very acute on the neighbor islands. On Oahu, the capacity issue is is probably less of an issue, but I know that we had a couple of cases.

I know one on the Big Island. There was one on Maui where somebody was, had to move out of a DD care home, and they, and they were forced to relocate over to Oahu when in fact there were homes that could have been adapted to accommodate them to keep them in the in the community.

So I agree with the I agree with the testimony of the DD Council that this doesn't necessarily have to mess up the whole waiver system between the 1915 and the 11 and the 1115.

This is simply allowing a little flexibility. In particular, on the neighbor islands, a lot of times, it's just a family that wants to take somebody in and take care of them. And and if they're willing to do it, if they have the capacity to do it, and the person with the disability wants to go into that home, they should be able to do so. But the current structure does provide barriers. So this bill would go a long way towards solving it.

I think the, I think the house companion was heard and favorably reported out by these committees earlier on. So I hope you will similarly report favorably on this. Thank you.

Thank you. On Zoom, Kailey Swan. Not present. In support. We have written testimony as well from, in support, from Aloha Independent Living Hawaii, Hawaii Self Advocacy Advisory Council, and ARC of Maui County.

Anyone else wishing to testify on this bill? Members, any questions?

I have a question. Is DHS here?

I'm sorry.

DHS?

No. They're on Zoom.

That's what I thought. I mean, a question for DHS, please.

Yes.

So when we're talking about very small numbers, I assume, of people that have in the past switched from one way or the, to the other in order to access a local facility.

So this isn't something that, this would kind of be a a last resort type of thing for people to to do this. I'm sure they would prefer to be in a setting that's catering towards their needs specifically, and this is only a last resort. Is that correct?

So, yes, at the moment, we have, it's just the way in which the waivers are structured. So maybe I'll start off by saying, currently, we have set up a structure that requires people to get off one waiver and go into another waiver in order to seek community care foster homes.

And we have used it, as you said, for a limited number of individuals who because the care that they need in the nursing facility level of care setting that the CCFFH is provide us potentially prioritized, then they are taken off the 1915 waiver. It just represents how our current structure is.

We, the Department of Human Services has already identified along with the Department of Health the specific changes we would need to make to both waivers to make this type of structural barrier less of an issue. So, I don't, I don't believe that we're standing here saying this is not possible.

I'm saying currently these structural barriers do exist and we can make the necessary changes and we can do it with or without the bill. We are we are very much on board with trying to support, greater foster home capacity for individuals in the IDD program and recognize that we are short, in terms of capacity for adult foster homes at the moment.

So we're proposing kind of a multifaceted approach along with the DDD to be able to solve for this problem. One of those pieces being some increased flexibilities in both waivers to accommodate CCFFH.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Members, any other questions? If not, let's move on to a number of resolutions we have on our agenda. And by tradition, I will turn over the gavel to Vice Chair Keohokapu-Lee Loy for the remainder of the hearing.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Starting with HCR 16, resolution requesting the Auditor to assess the social and financial effects of requiring health insurers to provide coverage for medically necessary proton beam therapy for cancer treatment. We have in person Gwendolyn Kirkland.

Aloha, Chair Takayama, Vice Chair Keohokapu-Lee Loy, and Members of the Committee. My name is Gwendolyn V. Kirkland, and I stand before you not only as an advocate for bringing proton beam therapy to Hawaii, but as someone whose own cancer scare unfolded just weeks after I arrived here.

Just one month after relocating to Hawaii, I went in for what I assumed would be a routine dental checkup. During the exam, my dentist discovered a swelling in the back of my throat. She referred me to my primary care physician, who then referred me to an ENT specialist.

The ENT examined me and determined there was a tumor in my salivary gland. He performed a biopsy and the results came back benign. I had the tumor surgically removed three months later. Two days after surgery, I received a message on MyChart that changed everything.

The pathology came back from the tumor as adenoid cystic carcinoma. I had cancer. I was scheduled for a PET scan and a meeting with the radiation oncologist to begin treatment. In the middle of that fear and uncertainty, a retired physician researched treatment options and recommended proton beam therapy because of the tumor's location and the need to protect surrounding structures.

But when I asked my doctor's office about proton therapy, I was told it wasn't available in Hawaii. If I wanted the treatment that could preserve my long term health, I'd have to leave the state and travel to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas.

And then just days before a PET scan and radiation oncologist meeting, I received another MyChart message. The tumor pathology had been amended to basal cell adenoma. Basal cell adenomas are benign and represent one to two percent of tumors. I did not have cancer.

I was relieved, deeply relieved, but also profoundly aware of what so many families in Hawaii face. Even in that brief window, I experienced the fear, the confusion, and the realization that access to the safest, most appropriate treatment depends on geography, insurance, and the ability to uproot your life at the worst possible moment.

Chair Takayama, Vice Chair Keohokapu-Lee Loy, and Members of this Committee, this measure is about ensuring that no one in Hawaii has to navigate that kind of fear without clear options. It simply asks for the independent data we need to understand the real social and financial impact of requiring coverage for medically necessary proton therapy.

My story ended with relief, but many others do not. An Auditor's assessment will give us the clarity to make decisions rooted in evidence, equity, and aloha. I respectfully urge you to pass this measure. Mahalo for your time and for your commitment to the Hawaiian people.

Thank you so much. Members, we also have comments from the Office of the Auditor. Any questions? Alright. Seeing none.

Moving on to HCR 23. Resolution requesting the auditor to assess the social and financial effects of mandatory health insurance coverage for prosthetic devices and or thick devices. First up, we have Disability Communication Access Board, Christine Gau in support of. State of Hawaii DCCA in person.

Good morning, Chair. Vice Chair. Members of the committee, I'm Justin Chu with the insurance division. We just note that the underlying measure that the auditors requested to study contains a blank amount of minimum benefit coverage.

Because the auditor is required to study the financial impacts of the measure, we would recommend that the committee put some anchor as to a dollar, a defined dollar benefit amount so that the auditor would be able to accurately study what the financial impact of measure would be. Thank you.

Thank you. That's all for our testimony. We also have testimony from Office of Auditor and Aloha Independent Living Hawaii. Members, any questions? Cool. Next.

Moving along. We are on to eight CR 22 house Resolution 22. For those in the audience, we're just gonna take them up together. So we have in support US Reno Care. In person, I have Michelle Davis.

Oh, there you are.

Chair, vice chair, and members of the committee. Thank you for hearing this resolution today. After working last session as a committee clerk, I learned more about the legislative process and how it can help make an impact.

Don't be nervous. Yeah. Sure. That's why

I like working behind the scenes. So, yeah, when the session ended, I went on an emotional journey, and I finally met my long lost younger sister who has a three year old daughter.

And sadly, I found out that she had been suffering and on dialysis while on the list waiting on a kidney transplant. I then learned all I can and began the process to donate one of my kidneys to her, starting preliminary testing. Unfortunately, I was unable to continue the process due to my current medical condition. I then sought to have this resolution introduced on behalf of the director of wait list zero seeking Hawaii support for the end kidney deaths act.

Through previous legislation in 2005, Hawaii has shown support for organ donors by providing paid leave to city and state employees, and in 2014, expanded paid leave for employees and larger businesses.

Currently, representative Joe Chikuda is leading Hawaii at the federal level along with many other legislators nationwide. If you wanna learn more information, I provided in written testimony and a great article in Hawaii business magazine that details this and that came out in February. Please vote yes to pass this resolution. I'll come back and testify again and get more and get more practice and not be so nervous. But it was important to me and despite being nervous, I'm happy to be here.

Thank you all.

Thank you. Thanks for being here. Good to see you. Thank you.

And you did fine. Okay.

Members, that's all I have. Checking on somebody. Right. Okay. Moving on to HCR six HR five.

Resolution affirming and supporting the requirements that hospitals provide lifesaving emergency care to pregnant people. Members, let's see, have in support Hawaii Commission on the Status of Women, AAUW of Hawaii. Let's see. Oh, Ansu. Mandy Fernandez, ACLU, not present.

Number of others in support. Members, I count about 29 letters of support and 6 opposition. Any questions, members? No? Okay.

Moving on. The key departure. Okay. We're on to HCR 35, requesting the auditor to assess the social and financial effects of mandatory health insurance coverage for biomarker testing. On Zoom, Alzheimer's Association. We got one. Thank you. Please proceed.

Hi, Chair and Vice Chair. I'm Coby Chock on behalf of the Alzheimer's Association. We stand on a written testimony in support. Just noting that there are so many new breakthroughs in the detection of Alzheimer's disease through blood based biomarkers specifically.

And this is really key to early detection, early diagnosis, and accessing treatment. So we appreciate your hearing of the bill, and thank you, for all of your support.

Thanks, Coby. Alright. Moving on, we have on Zoom, American Lung Association. Not present. In person, American Cancer Society Action Network.

Thank you, Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members. Cynthia Au on behalf of American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network with strong support for HCR 35. Biomarker testing is increasingly essential in helping clinicians match patients with the right treatment at the right time for patients to access tests that are medically necessary to guide their treatment options.

Currently, 43% of the a 198 oncology drugs approved between 1998 and 2022 require a biomarker test before use. For cancer patient, that may mean a biomarker test can be, can help to find the mutation causing their specific cancer so that patients can be matched with the right treatment leading to better outcomes and lower costs.

A patient's treatment option should not be determined by health insurance. The resolution would ask the auditor to submit a report of findings to the legislature and recommendations. Thank you.

Great. Thank you for being here. Okay, Members, we also have letters of support from Oncology Nurse Society of Hawaii along with Global Colon Cancer Association. Anyone else wishing to testify?

Members, any questions? Thank you. Next members, we're on to H 0 HCR 105 HR 97 requesting the state cancers I'm sorry. Requesting the Hawaii State Center for Nursing to conduct a study compiling recommendations, safe patient staffing ratios. In person, Hawaii State Center for Nursing.

Aloha. My name is Laura Reichardt. I am the director of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing. We welcome the opportunity to do this report. I just want to note that our mission is to collaborate on fostering workplace conditions that support nurses to remain in a fulfilling profession.

And our second mandate is to conduct research on best practices and quality outcomes. So I think this is a well suited resolution for the Hawaii State Center for Nursing. I do note that in the resolution, there are some areas that I feel will be difficult, and so I seek the guidance and recommendations from your committee today. The first is that, the bills that this resolution references as well as the reference primarily focus on hospital nursing alone. And so I just want that clarification.

Is this for hospital alone? Is this other settings as well? That would significantly impact the scope of the study and the organizations that we look to. Secondly, the proposal for a dashboard specifically will be difficult. Of the 13 organizations I've already reviewed, and I have that table summarized in my testimony, nine of those organizations and some of them have or multiple recommendations from one organization, but nine of them have both strategies and ratios, and the strategies are very important.

I have spoken to some of the organizations, and they said, you know, if you if you were to do achieve the six strategies, you would already be getting the ratios because all of the right things would be in place. So a dashboard would be difficult to, use as the tool to describe those strategies. And then four only have strategies. They don't provide ratios, and many of them don't provide specifically don't provide ratios at all.

And so a dashboard may not be the best mechanism, although I do agree that having some kind of shared understanding of these recommendations would be favorable.

And then to that, I I do want to ask the guidance of what the intent of the outcome is for this report because nursing professional recommendations have a different methodology than regulation. And I do wanna note that the good work of the Legislative Reference Bureau, A Time to Triage, and Report one of 2024, right before the 2025 legislative session already documented what other states have provided, so our state does have that resource.

I think it would be a great opportunity to look at professional associations, particularly because so much of their work is brand new. It's, like, 2022 and or more recent. And so with that, I do request additional guidance from your committee on the exact contents and the intent of the report, but we're happy to join.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for being here. DCCA Board of Nursing, Amy Chin.

Good morning, chair, vice chair, Aloha, Kakou. My name is Amy Chin.

I am the executive officer on the board of nursing for Hawaii. We stand our written testimony expressing concerns and comments for this for these two measures. In summary, wanna thank you for focusing on safe nurse nursing staffing, but our main point is that laws while staffing are very different from guidelines written by professional nursing groups. We wanna make sure that these two things are not commingled and that they should not be perceived to be entertain interchangeable.

And, yeah, we'll make sure that regulations stay regulations, and these studies by professional associations are findings on their own.

And I'm available for comments and questions. Thank you.

Thank you for being here. Hawaii American Nurses Association, Linda, thank you for being here.

Good morning, chair, vice chair, and members of the committee. I am Linda Beechinor. I'm the vice president of Hawaii American Nurses Association. We are the Hawaii chapter of the American Nurses Association for the 17,000 registered nurses who live in Hawaii. Nurses are very busy today, and I didn't want the fact that that I am one of the few nurses here representing the nurses behind this bill that the bills that most of our president is the chief of Red Cross on Maui.

The president of Hawaii Nurses Association, the union for the hospitals was called out to fly a patient out today. So we are very busy, and we we need the assistance of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing. We are very willing and ready to work with them. We respectfully ask that the committee adopt this resolution to continue the deep dialogue facilitated by the Hawaii State Center for Nursing that supports strategy commitment to the people of Hawaii.

The president of Hawaii Nurses Association, the union for the hospitals was called out to fly a patient out today. So we are very busy, and we we need the assistance of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing. We are very willing and ready to work with them. We respectfully ask that the committee adopt this resolution to continue the deep dialogue facilitated by the Hawaii State Center for Nursing that supports strategy commitment to the people of Hawaii.

Alright. HR 146, HR138 urging the legislature to prioritize consideration of legislation prohibiting the use of excited delirium or similar pseudo scientific concepts as a medical diagnosis and cause of. Let's see. On Zoom, Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

Morning. Thank thank you. I appreciate, I appreciate the opportunity to testify. I think you folks probably remember this bill from last year. It was pretty well considered and and and received by the legislature and except for one particular Senate committee.

The, the problem, the problem with excited delirium really impacts a lot of our clients, especially those that have mental health issues because we have situations where police are called to a scene, they don't properly deescalate the situation, and and sometimes death occurs where they, they end up wrestling someone to the ground.

They sit on him. They choke him a la George Floyd or or as to Haleck situation. And then when it comes time for a a civil trial to try to receive achieve some measure of justice, some somebody comes in and says, well, no, it's not because we sat on his throat for twenty minutes and choked him.

He just had excited delirium and and it's very confusing to the juries. And a lot of times, you end up with a defense verdict. So the Legislature did give this a lot of consideration last year. The Judiciary had some concerns about whether a blanket evidentiary rule was a good idea or not. We we had hoped to have some discussions with them in the interim, but those discussions didn't really get very far off the ground.

So, but, admittedly, this resolution simply asked the legislature to do what it can do by passing a bill. But I think it is important to keep this issue front and center. And I think passing this resolution would make a statement that the legislature does support the, support the concept behind the bill. And so hopefully, next session, we'll be able to achieve something. So thank you very much.

Thank you for being here. On Zoom, Julia Sherwin. Great.

Mahalo. Mahalo, Chair Takayama, Chair Marten, Vice Chairs and Committee. Mahalo for allowing me to testify here today and for having this hearing. I've been a civil rights lawyer for over thirty years and I've been dealing with excited delirium for over twenty years. I submitted written testimony that provides more information about excited delirium and how damaging the theory has been since its inception.

The excited delirium bills as, Louis Erteschik, referenced that were introduced last year, were essentially blocked. But there was a house bill and a senate bill and they were essentially blocked from proceeding by one Senator. So these resolutions are your only chance to do anything in this two year legislative cycle about excited delirium.

Except, except forth in my, written testimony, I do ask that you amend the resolutions to add the terms hyperactive delirium, agitated delirium, and exhaustive mania as those terms are used interchangeably with excited delirium.

For example, when I deposed the founder of the theory in one of my restrained asphyxia cases, he testified that whether he uses the term excited delirium or agitated delirium quote, "depends on the day of the week, I guess," end quote, because they're the same thing.

And also some emergency physicians who've continued to try to promote the theory of excited delirium just changed the name to hyperactive delirium and called it a day and they're still using it. So it's been over eleven years now since, Hawaiian native and Oahu military veteran, Sheldon Haleck was killed by Honolulu police.

And the officers who killed Sheldon were able to escape any, responsibility or accountability for his death due to the excited delirium defense. An excited delirium law will not impede the police. In fact, there has been zero opposition to the bills last year from the police or medical communities.

It actually enhances, law enforcement professionalism as well as community and law enforcement safety. So I ask that you send a message to Verdell and Bill Haleck and your community that, Sheldon's death was not in vain and you're rejecting this junk science in the state of Hawaii. Mahalo.

Thank you so much. In person, ACLU of Hawaii.

Good morning, Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members. My name is Riya Sood, and I'm the legal fellow at the ACLU of Hawaii. We are in strong support of HCR 146 and HR 138. Nearly every day in 2026, someone has been killed at the hands of police officers across the country. State violence is a serious issue here in Hawaii, and accountability is almost impossible.

Excited delirium is one awful part of this brutal system. This junk science was created to give police officers cover for when they use excessive force to harm our community members. Already, we do not provide enough support for those in Hawaii who experience mental health crises, and excited delirium amplifies this harm by providing police with an excuse to use weapons against these individuals.

We've seen this firsthand with the inexcusable death of Sheldon Haleck, an Air National Guard veteran who was brutalized by HPD outside Iolani Palace when he was having a mental health crisis. This resolution is named in honor of him and to ensure that this never happens again.

No one should be put in Sheldon's situation where instead of receiving the help they need, they are instead tased, pepper sprayed, and hogtied. No one should be put in Sheldon's parents' situation where instead of getting justice for their son, they are blocked by the ever reliable excuse of excited delirium.

This legislature must stop police in Hawaii from abating accountability simply by exciting to a fictional diagnosis. We urge the committee to pass HCR 146 and HR 138 and to continue working to end the use of excited delirium here in Hawaii. Thank you.

Thank you so much. On Zoom, Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii. Great.

Aloha, madam vice chair and members. Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii strongly supports HCR 146. The term excited delirium is now disavowed by major medical associations, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, the National Association of Medical Examiners, the American College of Medical Toxicology, and the American College of Emergency Physicians.

The most extensive review of all cases of excited delirium to date published in 2020 found that the syndrome, quote, unquote, "was most often fatal in the presence of aggressive forms of police restraint, including manhandling and hog tying or hobble tying." The officers concluded that excited delirium is not a unique cause of death in the absence of restraint.

The death of Sheldon Haleck and that of Brandan Maroney, who was shot to death with many officers on the scene in 2024, should also prompt policymakers at the state and county levels to initiate reforms that curb the potentially lethal criminalization of behavioral health problems, particularly among native Hawaiian and Pacifica communities who are subject to higher rates of surveillance and contact.

In short, let's get rid of the deadly fiction of delirium and related pseudo science pseudo scientific concepts that really have no place in public life in our state. For the opportunity to provide testimony.

Thank you so much. On Zoom, Verdell Haleck? Perfect. Thank you.

Hello, Chair, Vice Chair, and Health Committee Members. I am Verdell Haleck speaking on behalf of my son, Sheldon Haleck, and I strongly support HCR 146 and HR 138 relating to excited delirium. Sheldon's tragic story began in March 2015 in Downtown Honolulu when a misdemeanor offense of jaywalking led to his untimely death by Honolulu police officers.

The police department justified their actions by blaming excited delirium as the reason for my son's death. A civil lawsuit was filed by our family against the police officers involved for excessive use of force.

The police defense expert witness and ER doctor testified Sheldon's death was attributed to excited delirium, although his death certificate said manner of death was homicide. Jurors believe that junk science term of excited delirium to be a real medical diagnosis and found the officers not responsible for his death. We have found no closure for his death due to the actions taken by law enforcement with the help of the court system.

Until in 2023, the last of the medical organizations disavowed, disavowed their backing for excited delirium from being used as a medical diagnosis and in other areas of concerns. This injustice is what spurred our desire for change by taking legislative action to that excited delirium and any terms related to it for being used in the state of Hawaii.

HPD needs to provide better training for police officers to cope with people suffering from mental health disorders, and the Veterans Affairs needs to provide better services in treating our veterans suffering from military deployment related mental health issues.

Our goal is for Sheldon and for all the innocent victims who unjustly lost their lives while in police custody and to protect the ohanas in the state of Hawaii from suffering this injustice in the future.

I thank you for your time, and I humbly ask for your support to pass HCR 146 and HR 138. And if it could please be called the Haleck Resolution in memory of our son, Sheldon, so that his death was not in vain. Mahalo.

Thank you so much. On Zoom, Ilima DeCosta. Perfect.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, and Committee Members for allowing us to present this resolution. I am actually not here to testify as an expert disability rights or any kind of legal, very, legal areas. I am a mother who's also lost a child to, unreasonable and preventable violence. And I would like to urge you to consider the reasonableness of maintaining a system that allows us to use junk science.

Especially when we know that no one has ever died as a result of excited delirium while out of police custody. If we know that those are the circumstances, then we have to be, we have to act with some amount of common sense.

So I, I really want to mahalo all of you for allowing us to continue this conversation. I'm disappointed that we weren't able to make better progress last year, but I'm encouraged that so many have come out in support of this measure.

And I'm looking forward to a time that we can expand training to our law enforcement and help to really, promote a sense of public safety within our law enforcement realm. So thank you to all of you. Please, I'm in strong support of HCR 146, HR 138. Please pass this resolution and please do name it the Haleck resolution. Mahalo.

Thank you so much. Any other members wishing to testify in the room? Members, any questions? Alright. Seeing none, we're at the end of the agenda. Chair?

Thank you. Thank you, Vice Chair.

Back over to you.

Let's see. I think we can move on to decision making, and let's return to the top of our agenda. Starting with starting with the SB 2408, compassionate access to medical cannabis. Members of the number of these bills, we're gonna be amending the bills to replace the contents of the senate bill with the contents of the house bill.

And the reason for that, in a number of cases, the house bill addresses concerns raised by testifiers or in some cases, it is just plain better.

So Okay. Case in point, first bill, we would like I would like to move this forward as a house draft replacing the contents with contents of HB 1542 which was previously considered and approved by this health committee. Members, any questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing none, vice chair for the vote.

Thank you, chair members. On SB 2408 SD1, chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Chair votes aye. Vice chair votes aye. Member Amato?

Aye.

Member Marten?

Member Olds?

Aye.

Aye.

Member Hartsfield?

Member Alcos?

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Member Takenouchi?

Member Garcia?

Thank you. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Aye.

Thank you. SB 3302. Similarly, I'd like to replace it with the contents of HB 2619. For example, the House Bill addresses the concern raised about whether farm home kitchens actually produce homemade food products, and that's clearly laid out in the House Bill of HB 2619. For that reason, I'd like to move it forward. Any questions, comments, or concerns? If not, Vice Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Chair. Members, on SB 3302, SD 1, Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Noting all Members present. Any Members with reservations? Any Members voting no> Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. SB 2934 on this bill. I'd simply like to defect the date and include in report language, just suggested amount for a a central Maui Lexus Port Ambulance would be $11,750,000 should future committees consider this matter. Questions, comments, concerns? Vice chair for the mic.

Thank you, chair members on SB 2934 SD one. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Noting all members present, any with reservations? Any members voting no? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. SB 2175 relating to disposable electronic smoking devices. I'd like to, replace it with the contents of HB 2121 and include, the DOH suggested amendment, which was in their testimony today. Any questions, comments, or concerns?

Comment, chair.

Thank you, chair. I I I do support, you know, trying to pass measures that will limit the exposure to vaping to Hawaii's youth. I think it's a big problem.

Yes. Representative Garcia.

My only concern and I I'm we'll we'll vote yes with reservations. But my only concern is that many of these these type of devices are the more affordable devices for people. And if we're trying to get people off of regular tobacco cigarettes, we're transitioning to e cigarettes or vaping products. Not the best, but it is a better transition than smoking combustionable cigarettes. I feel that this would make it more more expensive for them.

So for those reasons, with reservations.

So noted. Thank you, Representative Garcia.

I do a colleague, please. Yes.

I just wanna note that there are a lot of free smoking cessation programs, like, in our federally qualified health center for those young people that provide clearance.

Thank you.

Any other questions, comments? If not, vice chair for the vote.

Thank you, chair members. On SB 2175 SD, two chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments noting the reservation from member Garcia. Any other members voting with reservations? Any others voting no. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. SB 2418, relating to drug paraphernalia. I'd like to replace it with the contents of HB 1549 and move it forward as an abstract. Questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Chair. Members, on SB 2418, SD 1, Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Noting all Members present. Any with reservations? Any... Oh, thank you, Mr. Olds. Any Members voting no? Thank you, Mr. Alcos. Thank you, Mr. Garcia. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

SP 3203 air relating to air medical services. Like to replace it with the contents of HB 2508 authored by our vice chair and move it forward as house draft. Members, any questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing none, vice chair.

Thank you, chair. Members on SB 3203 chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. All members present, any with reservations? Any voting, no. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. SB 2095, establishing a PFAS working group. I'd like to pass this as is. And note in the committee report, requested amount from the Department of Health is $30,000 to implement the working group. Members, any questions, comments, or concerns? If not, Vice Chair.

Thank you, Chair. Members, on SB 2095, SD 1, HD 1, Chair's recommendation is to pass as is. Noting all Members present, any with reservations? Any voting no? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. And the final bill, SB 2340, which is a joint, jointly referred bill. I'd like to move this forward as a House Draft with technical amendments for consistency, clarity, and style, also adding a new defective date. Members, any questions, comments, or concerns? If not, Vice Chair for the vote.

Thank you, Chair. Members, on SB 2340, SD 2, Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. All Members present. Any with reservations? Any voting no? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Committee on Human Services and Homelessness, I recommend the same amendments. Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Thank you, Chair. Members, voting on SB 2340, SD 2. Chair's recommendation is to pass with amendments. Any Members voting no? With reservations? Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Let's see. For the remainder of the decision making on resolutions, I'll turn it over to Vice Chair.