STAND. COM. REP. NO. 155

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1156

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1156 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to provide funds for supplies, personnel, equipment, and related effects to implement the State's coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination plan.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and Hawaii Primary Care Association.

 

     Your Committee finds that vaccinations can dramatically decrease the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Your Committee further finds that although the Department of Health has a plan for the rapid distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, the Department's current budget is unable to accommodate a full-scale deployment of the State's vaccination plan.  As such, this measure is necessary to ensure the Department of Health has the resources to implement its vaccination plan.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     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 S.B. No. 1156, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1156, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair