STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2763

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2163
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B.
No. 2163 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AEROMEDICAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to require twenty-four-hour
aeromedical services for the County of Hawaii by a permanently
assigned paramedic crew.

     Your Committee finds that the Big Island's aeromedical unit
is not fully staffed for twenty-four-hours a day operations due
to a lack of sufficient funding.  Given the geographic expanse,
mountainous terrain, and poor road conditions in many parts of
the Big Island, a critically ill patient in a remote area may be
required to wait a significant period of time for ground
transportation in an emergency situation.

     Your Committee finds that the State has an obligation to
provide for the health and safety of persons on the Big Island in
medical emergencies, and finds that a twenty-four-hour
aeromedical service as provided in this bill will significantly
improve emergency medical services on the Big Island.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2763
                                   Page 2


     Upon further consideration, your Committee has changed the
effective date of the bill to July 1, 2010 to facilitate further
discussion on this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
2163, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third
Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2163, S.D. 1.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
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