STAND. COM. REP. NO. 480

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 489
                                        




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 S.B. No. 489 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE BIG
     ISLAND AEROMEDICAL UNIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation for
the Big Island aeromedical unit.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Department of Health (DOH), Hawaii County Fire
Department Aeromedical Program, and Hawaii Health Systems
Corporation.

     The DOH's "Strategic Plan and Progress Report on the
Development of a Statewide Emergency Aeromedical System", dated
November, 1998, recommended that the Hawaii County helicopter
aeromedical unit be maintained and its hours of operation be
expanded to twenty-four hours per day, from the current twelve
hours.  Your Committee finds that twelve hours per day is grossly
inadequate to provide the necessary emergency medical services to
rural areas of the Big Island.  This measure would allow the unit
to operate around the clock.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose

 
a                                                     SB489      
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 480
                                   Page 2


of S.B. No. 489 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Health and Human
                                   Services,



                                   ______________________________
                                   SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 
a                                                     SB489