STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1047

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 683

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 683, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR THE ADULT MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize an emergency appropriation for fiscal year 2004-2005 from the general fund to the Department of Health, and to increase the authorized expenditure limit for the mental health and substance abuse special fund expenditure ceiling by an additional $2,500,000.

The Department of Health, the Oahu Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the Mental Health Association in Hawaii, and one individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that although funds were appropriated to the Department of Health for adult mental health services for the fiscal year 2004-2005, the Department is unable to meet its fiscal obligation to provide services to certain adults with severe mental illness. This is primarily due to a dramatic increase in the number of individuals served in response to the requirements of the settlement agreement and subsequent orders in United States v. State of Hawaii, et al., Civil Number 91-00137.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by appropriating $5,359,886 for fiscal year 2004-2005 based on the Department of Health's testimony regarding a revised projected deficit.

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. 683, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 683, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair