Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2348 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to prepare the State for a pandemic of a novel strain of avian influenza.

Your Committee is concerned about the recent developments with the avian flu strain that may result in a flu pandemic. Your Committee finds that a flu pandemic has the potential to cause more deaths and illness than any other public health threat in Hawaii. With this concern in mind, your Committee reviewed the Department of Health's request for an emergency appropriation in fiscal year 2006-2007 in order to prepare for a flu pandemic.

Upon careful review of the budget submitted by the Department, your Committee recommends an appropriation of $11,000,000 in general funds to be provided to the Department to procure and maintain local stockpiling of antiviral medications. Although your Committee still has concerns that current antiviral medications may not stop a pandemic flu, there are no other known preventive measures at this point in time. Your Committee is aware that supplies of antiviral medications are being stockpiled by the federal government as announced by the United States Department of Health and Human Service on March 1, 2006.

These funds would also be used to purchase the necessary equipment as well as to provide the support necessary to respond to a flu pandemic in Hawaii.

Accordingly, your Committee amended this measure by:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2348, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2348, S.D. 1.