CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO.50-02

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 1357

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1357, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this bill is to:

    1. Require moneys in the Hospital and Medical Facilities Special Fund (Special Fund) to be used to offset educational program expenses of the Hospital and Medical Facilities Branch, Department of Health (DOH);
    2. Specify how expenditures from the Special Fund are to enhance the capacity of hospital and medical facilities programs, but limiting the amount of moneys used for education;
    3. Requiring that funds in the Special Fund in excess of a specified amount at the end of each fiscal year be deposited into the general fund;
    4. Requiring DOH to report to the Legislature on the status of the Special Fund;
    5. Specify that fines collected by DOH for violations of the adult residential care homes licensing laws be deposited into the general fund; and
    6. Statutorily establish guidelines for the handling and security of the personal effects of hospital patients.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1) Specifying that no more than $230,000 of the Special Fund may be used during any fiscal year for education;

(2) Specifying that any amount in the Special Fund in excess of $356,000 at the end of each fiscal year be deposited into the general fund;

(3) Removing the statutory establishment of guidelines for patient's personal effects and instead requesting the Healthcare Association of Hawaii to report to the Legislature on the status of how hospitals in the State handle and provide for the security of the personal effects of hospital patients;

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1357, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1357, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________

DAVID M. MATSUURA, Chair

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Co-Chair

____________________________

COLLEEN HANABUSA, Co-Chair

____________________________

BERTHA C. KAWAKAMI, Co-Chair