STAND. COM. REP. NO. 281

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1400
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No.
1400 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HANA
     COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to maintain the Hana Community
Health Center's (Center) current level of operations by making an
appropriation of $1,000,000 for each year of fiscal biennium
1999-2001.

     The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, members of the Maui County
Council, AlohaCare, the Center, and many individuals submitted
testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Health
submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.
The United Public Workers submitted testimony in opposition of
this measure.

     Your Committee finds that the Center is the only health
provider in the Hana district and its operations are critical to
the health of that community.  In fact, without an additional
$200,000 for the current fiscal year, the Center will be forced
to close its urgent care component on March 1, 1999.

     The Center requested from the Governor an emergency
appropriation, but the request was denied.  Your Committee
recognizes that an emergency exists, and has amended this measure
by:

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 281
                                 Page 2

 
     (1)  Requesting an additional $200,000 for the current
          fiscal year to enable the Center to continue its
          operations; and

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

     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 H.B. No.
1400, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1400, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair