Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 3035 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate general funds to assist Molokai General Hospital with its operating costs.

Your Committee finds that Molokai General Hospital is the only hospital on Molokai. Although it is a subsidiary of The Queen's Health Systems, the hospital has increasingly had to rely on the State, the County of Maui, and the federal government for financial support.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from Molokai General Hospital, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Healthcare Association of Hawaii. The Department of Health offered support of the measure with reservation.

Your Committee believes that an additional appropriation of $100,000 for the hospital is necessary in order to pilot a crystal methamphetamine treatment program on the island and urges your Committee on Finance to consider such an amendment.

Your Committee has accordingly amended this measure by changing the appropriation amount to $1 in order to facilitate continued discussion of the matter.

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. 3035, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3035, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.