STAND. COM. REP. NO. 918

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1804

       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. 1804, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRAUMA SYSTEM SPECIAL FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish additional funding mechanisms for the trauma system special fund to provide quality health care to trauma patients by ensuring the viability of trauma centers in the State.

     Specifically, the measure accomplishes this purpose by:

     (1)  Establishing surcharges for traffic violations and various criminal convictions related to violence and drug use;

     (2)  Establishing surcharges for violations that result in accidents involving death or bodily injury;

     (3)  Specifying that the trauma system special fund includes, but is not limited to, trauma system surcharges and cigarette tax revenues;

     (4)  Requiring the Department of Health to establish a methodology to calculate costs incurred by hospitals providing care to trauma patients in order to reimburse those hospitals from the special fund; and

     (5)  Making appropriations to and out of the trauma system special fund.

     Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Queen's Medical Center, and Hawaii Pacific Health.  The Department of Budget and Finance submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that trauma is one of the most serious public health problems we face.  A comprehensive statewide trauma system built on public health principles can reduce death and disability from injuries.  Therefore, your Committee finds that increasing the sources for revenue for the trauma system special fund is necessary to ensure the viability of the State's trauma system.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

     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. 1804, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1804, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair