STAND. COM. REP. NO.  668

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1371

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1371 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate emergency funding necessary to cover increasing expenses relating to the ongoing operation, services and activities of the Developmental Disabilities Division of the Department of Health (DOH).

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in her Governor's Message No. 235 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill by the Legislature citing an existing critical funding shortage.

     This bill appropriates $4,980,523 for fiscal year 2006-2007 out of general revenues to be used to:

     (1)  Sustain the ongoing operation and services;

     (2)  Provide individuals with developmental disabilities or mental retardation, home and community-based services; and

     (3)  Increase admission into Medicaid State Plan Intermediate Care Facilities for the Mentally Retarded in the Community Program. 

The appropriated amounts are to be expended by the Department of

Health.

     The Department of Health, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Family Voices of Hawaii supported this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Adding a new section which provides the reasons why and the amount and rate by which the appropriations contained in this bill exceed the state spending limit to comply with statutory and constitutional requirements;

     (2)  Authorizing an additional appropriation of $4,111,237 from the Developmental Disabilities Interdepartmental Transfer Fund; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, 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 H.B. No. 1371, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1371, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair