STAND. COM. REP. NO. 56-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2161
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Economic Development and
Business Concerns, to which was referred H.B. No. 2161 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PROCUREMENT,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to create a stronger small
business environment for assistive technology providers and
repair persons by addressing three critical issues relating to
assistive technology devices and procurement.  Specifically, this
bill:

     (1)  Requires interagency cooperative purchasing agreements
          among agencies involved in the procurement and
          acquisition of assistive technology devices and
          services;

     (2)  Gives small businesses preference to the assistive
          technology devices and services procurement process;
          and

     (3)  Expands training and development for the procurement of
          assistance technology devices and services.

     The Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii and two
individuals testified in support of this measure.  The
Departments of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and
Accounting and General Services (DAGS) testified in support of
the intent of this measure.

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 56-00
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     DAGS testified that while this measure is related to the
acquisition of assistive technology devices, it does not mean
that its provisions should be placed in the Hawaii Public
Procurement Code (Chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS)).
DAGS believes that Hawaii's procurement laws on cooperative
procurement are general and should remain so.  Additionally, DAGS
believes that the provisions of this bill relate to the program's
operations, and not to the procurement procedures.

     Your Committees agree with DAGS and have amended this
measure by:

     (1)  Placing assistive technology provisions in a new
          chapter in Title 20, HRS (Social Services); and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your
Committees on Health and Economic Development and Business
Concerns that are attached to this report, your Committees are in
accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2161, as amended
herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form
attached hereto as H.B. No. 2161, H.D. 1, and be referred to the
Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committees on Health and
                                   Economic Development and
                                   Business Concerns,

                                   
                                   
                                   
                                   
______________________________     ______________________________
ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair            ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair