STAND. COM. REP. 243

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 234

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 234 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE POISON CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health (DOH) to operate a hospital-based poison center 24 hours a day.

DOH, Kapi'olani Medical Center, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Kaiser Permanente, Hawai'i Primary Care Association, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and several concerned individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that poison centers are effective in mitigating the impact of poisonings and reducing health care costs. Inadequate operation of a poison center may lead to unnecessary physician and emergency department visits. Moreover, poison centers are recognized as a component of the Homeland Security initiative as a resource for disease surveillance and immediate public access to information and education. The Hawaii Poison Center may face closure or a reduction in hours if funding is not provided.

 

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Changing the appropriation amount to $1 to facilitate further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, conformity, 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. 234, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 234, 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