STAND. COM. REP. NO.490

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 809

H.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 809 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A HOSPITAL-BASED DEMONSTRATION PROJECT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health for a hospital-based coach and athletic director health clinic demonstration project.

Testimony was received from the Wahiawa Hospital Association, Wahiawa General Hospital, Pacific Sports Care, the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, Pacific Health Community Inc., the Central Oahu Physician Hospital Organization, and various athletic trainers and students for Hawaii's high schools in strong support of this measure.

The Department of Health testified that they supported the intent of the measure but that they did so, provided that the appropriated proposal did not adversely impact upon their executive biennium budget.

Your Committee realizes that the health care profession is a dynamic field with changes occurring frequently, especially in the field of sports medicine. Moreover, it was understood that many students, teachers, coaches, and athletic directors often have outdated or inaccurate information regarding proper health care, especially in the science of sports medicine. This was noted to be a possible danger to the well being of the children under their tutelage.

Furthermore, your Committee understands that the focus of health care in twenty first century will be more towards the issue of prevention. Moreover, it was noted that the goal of this program is to empower parents, players, and coaches to make choices that will have a positive and healthy impact upon their lives and aid in injury and illness prevention thus creating an overall "wellness" in the community.

Seeing this to be a worthwhile and possibly long term, cost saving community effort, your Committee has decided to amend this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations figure to $1 for the purposes of further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 809, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 809, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair