STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1170

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 211

       H.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 211, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS THAT PROVIDE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the lapse date for special purpose revenue bonds issued to the Queen's Health Systems.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from The Queen's Medical Center and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

     This measure extends from June 30, 2008, to June 30, 2013, the authorization to issue special purpose revenue bonds that will finance the costs of construction, improvements, and equipment of health care facilities and enhance patient care by providing high quality health care services to the people of Hawaii.  The measure also extends for the same time period, the Department of Budget and Finance's authority to issue refunding special purpose revenue bonds.

     Your Committee finds that section 39A-37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, prohibits authorizations of special purpose revenue bonds" for a period exceeding five years of its enactment."  This measure is extending the authorization until 2013--five years after the authorization lapses in 2008.

     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. 211, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair