STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1593-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 3146

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 3146, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect the health and safety of the people of Hawaii by:

(1) Providing funds through a grant-in-aid to the Director of Health to contract for intra-island roto-wing emergency aeromedical services for rural Oahu only, provided that certain conditions and requirements are met;

(2) Providing funds through a grant-in-aid to the County of Hawaii to staff the aeromedical helicopter unit on the Island of Hawaii;

(3) Appropriating funds for two emergency mobile urgent care units stationed at the fire departments of the Ocean View and Volcano communities on the Island of Hawaii;

(4) Appropriating funds to establish an emergency medical services ambulance unit that would provide 16-hours-per-day, 7-days-per-week emergency response service to the areas of Lower Mililani, Waipio Gentry, Waikele, Crestview, East Waipahu, Waiawa, and the Pearl City industrial area on Oahu;

(5) Appropriating funds for 24-hour advanced life support ambulance service for the Haiku District on Maui; and

(6) Appropriating funds for emergency services at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.

The State Department of Defense, the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, a member of the Hawaii County Council, The Queen's Medical Center, the County of Hawaii Fire Department, and Pacific Medical Assets testified in support of this bill. The Department of Health and Emergency Services Department of the City and County of Honolulu supported the intent of this measure. The Department of the Attorney General submitted comments.

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 S.B. No. 3146, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

		____________________________ DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Chair