STAND. COM. REP. NO. 416

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1235

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1235 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Appropriate funds as a grant to Hāna Health to continue Hāna Health's ability to meet the ongoing needs of the isolated Hāna community;

 

     (2)  Appropriate funds as a grant to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center to assist with the operation of its twenty-four-hour emergency medical room to continue to serve the residents of the Waianae coast; and

 

     (3)  Require funding for Hāna Health and the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center's emergency services to be included in the Department of Health's base budget beginning with the 2018-2019 fiscal year.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii College of Emergency Physicians, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Hawaii Dental Hygienist's Association, Hāna Health, and twelve individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hāna Health's twenty-four-hour emergency medical services programs and the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center provide essential emergency medical services to their respective communities.  Furthermore, these facilities are linked to the state emergency medical service system and the state plan for disaster response.  Therefore, it is essential that a long term funding option is made available to these facilities to ensure the continued stability of the provision of emergency services by these providers.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Blanking out the amount appropriated as a grant to support Hāna Health for fiscal year 2017-2018;

 

     (2)  Blanking out the amount appropriated as a grant to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center for operation of its twenty-four-hour emergency room for fiscal year 2017-2018; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     Your Committee would like to note that the original appropriation amounts inserted in this measure to support Hāna Health and the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center were $1,500,000 and $1,925,000, respectively, and requests that your Committee on Ways and Means takes into consideration these figures during its deliberation.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1235, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1235, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 


Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair