STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2238

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 3271

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3271 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create the community health center capital improvements revolving fund and to appropriate moneys for the fund.

Your Committees find that nonprofit, federally qualified health centers in Hawaii served around seventy-five thousand low income individuals in 2005. These health centers provide critically needed primary and preventive care, regardless of a patient's ability to pay. This policy limits community health centers' ability to borrow capital funds and to pay for debt service. Your Committees further find that providing a revolving fund to assist in meeting the capital needs of community health centers promotes the safety, health, and welfare of Hawaii's people.

Your Committees received testimony in support of the measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, Kalihi-Palama Health Center, the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, the Waikiki Health Center, and one individual.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3271, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3271, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Health,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

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SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair