STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1270

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 317

       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. 317, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOBILE MEDICAL CARE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the use of federal Homeland Security Grant funds to purchase, equip, and staff a mobile medical van for residents in remote areas on the island of Hawaii.

 

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

 

Your Committee finds that there is a lack of hospitals and health care centers on the southern portion of the island of Hawaii.  Your Committee finds that this is a remote area of the State where residents are relatively isolated from the nearest hospitals and health care centers located some distance away.  This isolation and distance from health facilities limits residents' access to emergency medical care and basic clinical health services.  The problem has become magnified in recent months with the increase in vog from Halemaumaa Crater that is concentrated in southern Hawaii and has the greatest health impact on residents in that area.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that these residents' access to medical care would be greatly improved by a mobile medical service that is staffed and equipped to visit these areas and provide clinical health care and emergency care.

 

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. 317, 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. 317, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair