Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1334 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to limit the liability for community health centers that operate a helicopter landing pad for use by Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic helicopters.

The Department of Health, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, and Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that the Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) helicopter program has been a major life-saving program for medical emergencies on the Waianae Coast as well as other rural areas on Oahu. The potential benefit of limited liability could be expanded to all medical facilities that receive and transfer patients by MAST and other helicopter aeromedical services. However, your Committee recommends moving forward with this measure first and observing its effects before considering whether to include other sites in the future.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

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 S.B. No. 1334, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1334, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.