STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1309

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1504

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1504, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Health Authority to develop a comprehensive health plan for delivering universal health care in Hawaii.

 

Your Committee received ten written comments on this measure.  The written comments may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

Your Committee finds that the rising costs of health care in Hawaii are rapidly outpacing the ability of individuals and employers to pay for health insurance and health care services.  This has resulted in an increasing number of individuals in Hawaii that do not have health insurance and cannot afford medical care.  Your Committee further finds that all residents of Hawaii should have access to affordable health care and the development of a comprehensive universal health care plan is the first step toward accomplishing this goal.

 

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the amount of the appropriation to $1 to facilitate further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1504, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1504, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair