STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1508

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1764

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1764, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION OR ANY OF ITS REGIONAL SUBSIDIARY CORPORATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to improve healthcare services in Hawaii.

     More specifically, the bill authorizes the issuance of revenue bonds to assist the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation in the construction, improvement, and equipment of its healthcare facilities, including the construction of a new heart, brain, and spine center on Maui.

     The Healthcare Association of Hawaii submitted comments in support of the measure.

     Your Committee finds that state-of-the-art healthcare must be provided to the residents of Hawaii and issuing revenue bonds to the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to improve its facilities addresses this issue.

     Your Committee amended the measure by making a technical nonsubstantive change to the bill for style and clarity.

     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 H.B. No. 1764, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1764, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair