CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 176

                            Honolulu, Hawaii
                                            , 1999

                            RE:   H.B. No. 1664
                                  H.D. 3
                                  S.D. 1
                                  C.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the
House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate
in H.B. No. 1664, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, entitled:

    "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to
recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final
passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill, as received by your Committee on
Conference, is to strengthen the Hawaii Patient Bill of Rights
and Responsibilities Act by implementing the recommendations of
the patient rights and responsibilities task force.  

     After much discussion, your Committee on Conference has
deleted the substance of H.B. No. 1664, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, and
replaced it with provisions that establish two new special funds.

     As amended, this bill:


 
 
 
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     (1) Establishes within the Department of Health (DOH) a
         Hospital and Medical Facilities Special Fund (HMFS Fund)
         to offset program expenses of DOH's hospital and medical
         facilities branch;

     (2) Establishes within the State Treasury a State Health
         Planning and Development Special Fund to offset program
         expenses of the State Health Planning and Development
         Agency (SHPDA);

     (3) Amends section 321-11.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to
         require fees paid and collected from facilities seeking
         licensure or certification by the DOH to be deposited
         into the HMFS Fund.

     Upon further discussion with SHPDA, the State Health
Planning and Development Special Fund is expected to receive
approximately $30,000 annually.

     Your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent
and purpose of H.B. No. 1664, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, as amended herein,
and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached
hereto as H.B. No. 1664, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted,

MANAGERS ON THE PART OF THE        MANAGERS ON THE PART OF THE
           SENATE                              HOUSE
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair       ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Co-
                                   Chair
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
BRIAN KANNO, Co-Chair              RON MENOR, Co-Chair
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair     DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Co-Chair
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair           JERRY L. CHANG, Member

 
                            CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 176
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______________________________     ______________________________
ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair             CHRIS HALFORD, Member



______________________________
WHITNEY ANDERSON, Member