Report Title:

Veterans Hospital; Maui

 

Description:

Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the construction of a veterans hospital in the County of Maui, provided that matching federal funds can be obtained.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2989

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

relating to veterans.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the Veterans Administration (VA) Pacific Islands Health Care System serves veterans in the Pacific Basin, a geographic service area of 4.8 million square miles, providing diagnostic, medical, mental health, and specialty care outpatient treatment.  Care is provided from its main clinic on Oahu and through five community-based outpatient clinics in the Hawaiian islands and Guam.  Additionally, at a 16-bed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) residential rehabilitation center on Oahu, veterans receive unique PTSD treatment and education.  VA also operates a 60-bed Center for Aging (nursing home) in Honolulu.  Currently, hospitalization is provided through a sharing agreement with Tripler Army Medical Center and community hospitals.

     Many veterans reside on the island of Maui, making it difficult to travel to Oahu for treatment and other services.

     The purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds for the construction of a state veterans hospital on the island of Maui, provided that no funds shall be made available under this Act unless federal matching funds for this purpose are first made available.

     SECTION 2.  The following sums or so much thereof as shall be sufficient to finance the project listed in this Act are hereby appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii for fiscal year 2007-2008:

     A.   Hawaii health systems foundation, Maui

     Plans, land aquisition, design, construction, and equipment for a veterans hospital in Maui county.

     Plans                                     $1,000

     Land                                      $1,000

     Design                                    $1,000

     Construction                         $19,996,000

     Equipment                                 $1,000

          Total funding                         $20,000,000

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii health systems corporation for the purposes of this Act; provided that no funds shall be made available under this Act unless federal matching funds for this purpose are first made available.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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