STAND. COM. REP. NO.  357-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 3161

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 3161 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate emergency funding for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation (HHSC) to pay accounts payable balances due to essential vendors of Hawaii's public health care facilities within 45 days from the date of invoices.

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in her Governor's Message No. 242 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill by the Legislature citing an existing critical funding shortage.

     This bill appropriates $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008 from the Special Fund to be expended by HHSC to sustain the ongoing operations of and services at various state hospitals, which include critical access care, medical and surgical services, and specialty care.

     HHSC, its Corporate Board of Directors, and the Hawaii County Council supported this bill.  Maui Memorial Medical Center submitted comments.

     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. 3161 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