STAND. COM. REP. NO. 81-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2593
                                     




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to
which was referred H.B. No. 2593 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to exempt the position of the
correctional Health Care administrator and authorized physician
positions within the Department of Public Safety from chapters 76
and 77, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Public Safety, the Hawaii Medical
Association, and the Ka Lahui political action committee.

     Your Committee finds that providing health care in the
correctional setting differs from providing health care in the
community.  Likewise, in administering correctional health care
it is crucial that one be properly familiar with the unique
challenges posed by the need to provide quality inmate health
care within fiscal constraints.  In the past the state has
contracted for these services, and the result has been many staff
changes which have thwarted efforts to maintain a quality health
care delivery system.  Your Committee believes that exempting
these positions will allow for better success in recruiting staff
with the necessary skills and experience.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 81-00
                                 Page 2

 
to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and
purpose of H.B. No. 2593 and recommends that it pass Second
Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Public Safety and
                                   Military Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   NESTOR R. GARCIA, Chair