Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2446, H.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to improve disaster preparedness in the state by providing a grant to The Queen's Medical Center (Center) to increase its emergency power generator system to a maximum capacity of 6,000 kilowatts for the Center's continued operation as a hospital and trauma center in the event of a disaster.

The Center testified in support of this bill. The Department of Health and Department of Defense supported the intent of this measure. The Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund opposed this bill.

Your Committee is aware that other medical facilities, that could potentially serve as trauma centers in times of disasters, have needs similar to the Center's.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2446, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2446, H.D. 2.