STAND. COM. REP. NO. 218
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2005
RE: H.B. No. 516
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2005
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 516 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY HEALTH POWERS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to establish the Emergency Health Powers Act that would provide broad powers to the Department of Health to respond to a public health emergency.
The Boards of Medical Examiners, Pharmacy, and Nursing supported the intent of this measure. The Department of Health (DOH), Department of Defense, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and Kaiser Permanente opposed this measure.
Your Committee has amended this bill by deleting its contents and replacing it with language that:
(1) Authorizes DOH to maintain an emergency response stockpile to prepare for or respond to a CBRNE (use of chemicals, biological agents, radioactive materials, nuclear devices, or explosives to kill or sicken people, animals, or plants) event;
(2) Exempts DOH from certain laws and rules to enable DOH to respond in an emergency; and
(3) Limits civil liability to DOH and its associated individuals and contractors as a result of death or injury to persons or property damage in responding to a CBRNE event or other public health emergency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 516, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 516, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committees on Judiciary and Consumer Protection & Commerce.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
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