House Standing Committee on Health

Good morning, and welcome to the Committee on Health. Today is Thursday, April 23. We are in a new conference room. So members, thank you for finding it. We're in conference room through 04:30, and the time now is 08:47.

Members, at the top of our agenda, we have SCR 7 affirming the support this affirming and supporting the requirements that hospitals provide life saving emergency care to pregnant people. Let's see. In person, we have Hawaii Public Health Institute. Not present. On Zoom.

Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women. Okay. Good morning.

Thanks, Kristin. Morning. Oh, sorry.

Go ahead.

Hi. Good good morning, Yasmin Chaney, for the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women. We stand on our written testimony in support of this resolution, and we appreciate the committee's consideration and support.

Thank you. Also in support, AAUW Hawaii. Let's see. Healthcare Associations of Hawaii, Hawaii Women's Lawyer, and two other individuals in support and two in opposition. Anyone else wishing to testify on this matter here in the chain in the office?

Anyone on Zoom? Great. Members, any questions? Alright. Thanks, members.

Moving on to SCR59 SD1, requesting the governor to establish procedures to authorize certain healthcare professionals to engage in the practice of their respective profession in the state of Hawaii without a Hawaii issued license during the state of an emergency. On Zoom, Hawaii Organization of Nurse Leaders. Yes. Good morning. Good morning.

Please proceed.

Good morning. Thank you. Honorable Chair, Vice Chair, and committee members. My name is BJ Bartleson. I am an a registered nurse health policy consultant and president-elect for the American Organization for Nurse Leaders in Hawaii, American Nurse Association of Hawaii and American Association of Nurse Leaders Hawaii.

That's a mouthful. We strongly support SCR or, the Senate concurrent res Resolution 59. We would like to thank senators McKelvey and Fukunaga and Representative Cochran for championing this cause, introducing SB3192, HB 2552, and now Senate Concurrent Resolution 59. Our voices were heard, and we are very much appreciative of that. My colleague, Denise Cohen, Red Cross RN Health Services Director, once again faced problems with the Kona Low storms in which Oahu had two shelters with lack of healthcare providers for community members with complex medical needs.

Healthcare providers with out of state licenses were at the ready but unable to to serve. As with the Lahaina wildfires, even short delays in care, such as lack of insulin, blood pressure medication, or wound care can lead to avoidable crisis. AONL Hawaii and ANA Hawaii nurse leaders stand ready to help Hawaii modernize emergency response initiatives and work with you to implement sound solutions. We respectfully ask for your aye vote on Senate concurrent Resolution 59 and full written comments by both organizations, have been submitted. Thank you.

Thank you so much for testifying. Also in support, Hawaii American Nurses Association and one other individuals. Is there anyone else wishing to testify on this matter here or on Zoom? Alright. Seeing none, members, any questions?

Alright, Members. For the last item on our agenda, This is SCR 182 requesting the governor and the Department of Health to engage with the United States Department of Defense and other federal military partners to explore establishing a military civilian trauma partnership to strengthen the Hawaii trauma systems. We have Department of Health in person.

Hello, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. Andrew Yonemura with the

Department of Health EMS. We stand by our written testimony and support. Unfortunately, my chief is unable to make it today. But if you have any surface level questions, I need be answer it. Thank you very much for your

time. Thank you for being here. Alright. And one other individual in support. Anyone else wishing to testify on SCR182 here in audience or on Zoom?

Seeing none. Members, any questions? Okay. Well, if it's okay with everyone, and again, thank you guys so much for making the time this morning. We'll go right into decision making, Chair, if that's okay.

Alright. Members, regarding SCR 7, affirming and supporting the requirement that hospitals provide life saving emergency care to pregnant people. It will be let's see. Oh, I'd like to make a recommendation that we pass this amendment as is. Members, any questions or comments?

We'll start if it's a question. We'll start with the question. Did you have a question?

Yeah. I'm just curious why it says pregnant people and not pregnant women.

Do you know? I'm not sure. You want me to make that edit? We can move it.

I mean,

if you're inclined to edit it to pregnant women, I I think that'd be more appropriate. Yeah. Okay.

Thank you. So brief comment. For decades, the federal Emtala law has protected the ability of all people, including those who are pregnant to receive life saving stabilizing care in emergency situations. Although currently in emergencies, this law preempts state abortion bans, legal battles continue to strip people of their right to reproductive care. If there comes a time this federal law is overturned, it is imperative that we make absolutely sure that pregnant people in Hawaii have access to life saving care. Thank you.

Check real quick. Garcia, I'll go ahead and make that note in the committee notes. And we're so close to so many deadlines right now..

I mean, I get it. Okay. It's not just this resolution and other stuff as well. It's just a recent trend.

Great. Okay. Members, recommendation is to pass as is, noting, the comments from, representative Garcia in the committee report. Any other questions, comments, chair for the vote?

K. Voting on SCR 7. Chair and vice chair both Aye. [Roll Call] Chair, your recommendation's adopted

Thank you, Members. Moving on to SCR 59, SD 1, requesting the governor to establish procedures to authorize certain health care professionals to engage in the practice of their respective profession in the state without a Hawaii issued license during a state of emergency. Members, similarly, this, my recommendation is to pass as is. Members, any questions, comments? Alright. Seeing none. Chair for the vote.

Okay. Voting on SCR 59, SD 1. Noting the excused absence of Representative Marten and Olds. Any Members voting with reservations or? Reservations for Representative Garcia. Representative Alcos. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Thank you so much. Members, last item on the agenda, SCR 182, requesting the governor and the Department of Health to engage with the United States Department of Defense and other federal and military partners to explore establishing a military civilian trauma partnership. Again, Members, similarly, recommendation is to pass as is. Members, any questions, comments? Chair for the vote. Oh, go ahead.

I'm in full support of the resolution. I'm just wondering if the title could be corrected to reflect accurate US Department of War. It's been changed legally on the federal level. So I was just wondering if that's a possibility.

You know, next. Let me take a look at that. So. It's a Concurrent Resolution, this one. Yeah. So I'll go ahead again and note that in the committee reports. Any other comments, questions?

Brief comments. Department of Defense, only Congress can change the name of the national department, and that has not happened. So it is still the Department of Defense.

I think that's debatable. But.

Alright. Any other comments, questions? Chair for the vote.

Okay. Voting on SCR 182, noting the excused absences of Representatives Marten and Olds. Any Members voting with reservations or no? Seeing none. Chair, your recommendation is adopted.

Great. Thank you, Members.

Thank you, Members. And this really is the last...

Really, really.

And I'll still miss all of you.