STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1287

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1282

      S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 1282, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to address the critical shortage of mobile intensive care technicians and paramedics in Hawaii.  The bill accomplishes this purpose by establishing the emergency medical technician training stipend program so that ten students per year may attend a state-qualified mobile intensive care technician training program.  The bill also appropriates an unspecified amount for the program.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Kauai County Subarea Health Planning Council, the Maui County Paramedics Association, a facilitator for the Maui Emergency Medical Service Advisory Committee, seven students who are enrolled in the class of 2008 mobile intensive care technician training program, and two emergency medical technicians.

     The Department of Health submitted comments.

     Your Committee finds that there is a critical shortage of mobile intensive care technicians and paramedics, as well as a lack of sufficient training and training resources for emergency medical technicians, especially on the neighbor islands.

     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 S.B. No. 1282, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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