STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2750

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2364

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2364, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit health insurers from denying coverage of a patient's injury that is attributable to the patient's use of intoxicants or narcotics.

Furthermore, this measure establishes a pilot program for screening, brief intervention, referral, and substance abuse treatment at hospital emergency rooms.

Your Committee finds that this two-pronged approach to combating alcohol and substance abuse will enable victims to be covered for medical services while receiving rehabilitative services to treat their addictions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount for the purpose of continuing discussion, and by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style and clarity.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2364, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2364, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair