Health Department to Hold Public Hearings on Proposed Changes for School Requirements

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) has scheduled public hearings on the counties of Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i. The DOH is holding these hearings to gather public comments on the proposed amendments to Title 11, Chapter 157, “Examination and Immunization,” which includes health examination and immunization requirements for school attendance in Hawai‘i.

Scheduled hearings are open to the public. The details for each hearing are listed below:

Island:   Maui (live), Molokaʻi (video conferencing from Maui)

Date:   Friday, Dec. 14, 2018

Time:   2 to 4 p.m.

Location: Maui (live) – Wailuku State Office Building, 54 South High Street, Wailuku, Maui

Video Conference Center, Third Floor

Molokaʻi (video) – Department of Health, 65 Makaena Place, Kaunakakai, Molokaʻi

Room 107, Video Conference Room

Island:   Lāna‘i (live)

Date:   Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018

Time:   1 to 3 p.m.

Location:  Lāna‘i Public and School Library, 555 Fraser Avenue, Lāna‘i City

Small Conference Room

Island:   Hawai‘i Island (live) – Hilo (AM) & Kona (PM)

Date:   Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018

Time:   Hilo – 9 to 11 a.m.

Kona – 2:30 p.m to 4:30 p.m.

Location: Hilo – Hilo State Office Building, 75 Aupuni Street, Hilo

Conference Rooms A, B, & C

Kona – 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy, Kailua-Kona

West Hawaiʻi Civic Center Meeting Hale, Building G

Island:   Kaua‘i (live)

Date:   Friday, Dec. 21, 2018

Time:   2 to 4 p.m.

Location:  Kaua‘i District Health Office Conference Room, 3040 Umi Street, Līhu‘e

The public hearing for O‘ahu was held on Nov. 1, 2018, at the Department of Health. 

“We decided that hearings should be conducted statewide based on the interest around these changes,” Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson said. “The proposed rules conform with current national recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccinations.”

The proposed changes would update the immunization and examination requirements for school, post-secondary school, and child care facility attendance in Hawai‘i. The requirements were last revised in 2001. Since then, updates have been made to the vaccine recommendations from the CDC, creating differences between current national standards and Hawai‘i’s pediatric and school entry and attendance requirements.

“The proposed changes will update our rules to align with current CDC recommendations for childhood and adolescent vaccinations and reflect what is already occurring in healthcare provider offices and clinics as standard medical practice,” state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Park said. “We appreciate the public’s interest and encourage them to attend the upcoming hearings to provide their comments to us.”

Testimonies on the rule changes may be presented orally or submitted in writing during the public hearings. People who are not able to attend a public hearing may submit written testimonies to the DOH by email at immunization@doh.hawaii.gov by Dec. 26, 2018 at 4 p.m. Hawai‘i Standard Time (HST).

More information on the proposed rules can be found online.