STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3038

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 3146

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 3146, H.D. 2, 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 measure is to appropriate emergency funds for the ongoing services revenue shortfall of the Adult Mental Health Division of the Department of Health and for operational costs at the Hawaii State Hospital.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  The State Council on Mental Health submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that a funding emergency exists for the Adult Mental Health Division of the Department of Health.  In this regard, an emergency increase in funds is needed to continue existing services to meet the needs of the expanding eligible population and to continue required services developed during the fiscal year.  Furthermore, additional emergency funding is also required to address higher operational costs at the Hawaii State Hospital due to an increased census.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting language that:

     (1)  Appropriates $10,250,443 for ongoing services provided by the Adult Mental Health Division of the Department of Health and to address a revenue shortfall and operational costs at the Hawaii State Hospital;

     (2)  Increases the expenditure ceiling of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Special Fund established under section 334-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by $1,200,000 and appropriates the same amount out of the special fund for ongoing services provided by the Adult Mental Health Division; and

     (3)  Makes technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 3146, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 3146, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, 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