STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1750

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  GOV. MSG. NO. 263
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was
referred Governor's Message No. 263, submitting for study and
consideration the nomination of:

     MARILYN A. MATSUNAGA, nominee as State Administrator, State
     Health Planning and Development Agency, for a term to expire
     June 30, 2003, 

begs leave to report as follows:

     Upon review of the resume and other background information
submitted by the nominee, your Committee finds that the nominee
has the range of skills, abilities, and experiences necessary to
serve in the position to which nominated.

     Marilyn A. Matsunaga was appointed as the State
Administrator for the State Health Planning and Development
Agency (SHPDA) in 1996.  She holds a Master of Business
Administration degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the
University of Denver.  Her past employment includes service as
Assistant to the Director of Human Services, Special Assistant to
the Governor for health and human services, Special Assistant to
the Deputy Director for Hospitals of the Department of Health,
Financial and Business Analyst for Mitsui Company, Ltd.
(Colorado/Tennessee/Florida), Marketing Planning and Analyst for
The Tattered Cover Book Store (Denver, Colorado), Research
Assistant at Deloitte, Haskins & Sells, and Executive Intern for
The Hospice of Metro Denver.


 
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     Testimony in support of the nominee was submitted by the
Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Honolulu Subarea Health
Planning Council, Windward Oahu Subarea Health Planning Council,
West Oahu Subarea Health Planning Council, Kauai County Subarea
Health Planning Council, Hawaii County Subarea Health Planning
Council, Chairman of the City Council of the City and County of
Honolulu, American Medical Response, Queen's International
Corporation, Queen's Health Systems, Kapiolani Health,
Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific, Healthcare Association of
Hawaii, Hawaii Long-Term Care Association, Kahi Mohala, Hawaii
Air Ambulance, Hawaii Government Employees Association, and
Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

     The nominee has effectively and successfully streamlined the
processing time for certificate of need applications, with ninety
per cent of all applications being processed in less than two
months and an average time of seventeen days.  The nominee has
also modernized the certificate of need program from a somewhat
traditional plan focused on one type of facility or one type of
equipment to a contemporary guide document of health care
planning that focuses on health outcomes.  The revised plan,
known as the Hawaii Health Performance Plan, has been recognized
by the Vice President's National Partnership for Reinventing
Government Office for its focus on partnerships and outcomes.

     Your Committee diligently questioned the nominee who
appeared before your Committee about her qualifications for the
position to which she is being nominated.  Your Committee also
questioned the nominee about her vision and priorities relating
to the position to which she is being appointed, and about her
commitment to public service.  Based on this discussion, your
Committee believes the nominee adequately responded to the
Committee's inquiries and sufficiently satisfied the Committee's
concerns.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this
report, your Committee, after full consideration of the
background, character, experience, and qualifications of the
nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position
to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and
consent to the nomination.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1750
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                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
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