STAND. COM. REP. NO. 996-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 218

S.D. 4

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 218, S.D. 4, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to address the shortage of paramedics in the State by assisting paramedics who wish to advance in their field by completing a state-qualified mobile intensive care technician program.

Specifically, the bill appropriates an unspecified amount of funds to the Department of Health to establish an emergency medical technician training stipend program to assist ten students per year who are public or private emergency medical technicians and who lack access to a training program.

The Acting Chancellor of Kapiolani Community College, a member of Maui's emergency medical services advisory committee, and a number of emergency medical technicians testified in support of the bill. The Department of Health supports the measure, provided it does not adversely impact priorities in the Department's executive supplemental budget.

Your Committee finds that a recent poll of emergency medical service providers statewide confirmed an immediate shortage of paramedics and an anticipated need of two hundred fifty mobile intensive care technicians over the next five years. Currently, it is extremely difficult for emergency medical technicians, particularly those who work and live on the neighbor islands, to complete the extensive mobile intensive care technician training. Recent events have demonstrated the importance of trained emergency responders. This measure will help reduce the shortage by providing financial support for students to complete the training required to qualify as mobile intensive care technicians.

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 S.B. No. 218, S.D. 4, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

 

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

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair