STAND. COM. REP. NO. 917

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1629

       S.D. 2

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 S.B. No. 1629, S.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 authorize the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to issue revenue bonds to construct and equip a new heart, brain, and spine center on the island of Maui.

     The Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, the Maui Memorial Medical Center, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and eight private citizens submitted comments in support of the bill.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation does not have sufficient funds to build a new heart, brain, and spine center on the island of Maui.  This measure would provide the necessary financing to expand cardiology and neurology services on Maui to provide residents and visitors state of the art health care in their own community.

     Your Committee amended the bill to make technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, style, and consistency.

     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 S.B. No. 1629, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1629, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair