STAND. COM. REP. NO. 519

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 1610
                                        




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. 1610 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL
     PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS THAT
     PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of
special purpose revenue bonds to fund the renovation of existing
health care facilities and the establishment of a new health care
facility by Wahiawa General Hospital, Inc.

     Specifically, the measure authorizes the issuance of
$37,000,000 in special purpose revenue bonds and appropriates the
same sum for the Wahiawa General Hospital, Inc., a not-for-profit
Hawaii corporation, to:

     (1)  Retire outstanding debt on existing health care
          facilities;

     (2)  Retire outstanding debt on existing capital equipment
          used in connection with the existing facilities;

     (3)  Plan, design, construct, and operate a new health care
          facility in central Oahu;


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 519
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     (4)  Acquire and install additional capital equipment for
          use in connection with Wahiawa General Hospital, Inc.,
          facilities; or

     (5)  Renovate or repair existing health care facilities.

     Testimony in support of the measure was received from the
Wahiawa Hospital Association, Wahiawa General Hospital, Central
Oahu Physician Hospital Organization, representatives of the
Physician Center of Mililani, a physician, and a petition
containing numerous supporters of the measure.

     Your Committee finds that there is a pressing need to
provide affordable, quality health care facilities for Hawaii's
citizens.  By authorizing the issuance of special purpose revenue
bonds for this purpose, the State will be assisting in the
provision of low cost financing for Wahiawa General Hospital,
Inc., to help meet this pressing need.

     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
of S.B. No. 1610 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

 
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