STAND. COM. REP. NO.  964-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 3146

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 3146, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR THE ADULT MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to make an emergency appropriation of $10,300,000 from general funds to the Department of Health (DOH) for fiscal year 2007-2008 for:

     (1)  Ongoing services provided by DOH's Adult Mental Health Division (AMHD); and

     (2)  Establishing a three-year psychiatric health services pilot project within AMHD.

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in her Governor's Message No. 240 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill by the Legislature citing an existing critical funding shortage to fund the continuation of services provided by the AMHD.

     DOH, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Psychiatric Medical Association, CARE Hawaii, Inc., Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, National Alliance on Mental Illness Hawaii, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Deleting the provision establishing a three-year psychiatric health services pilot project within DOH's adult mental health division;

(2)  Changing the amount appropriated from $10,300,000 to $9,065,000; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 3146, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3146, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair