STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1873-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.C.R. No. 349

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Legislative Management, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 349 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF MEDICAL TORT REFORM ON ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to address concerns over rising medical malpractice insurance premium rates by requesting the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) to study the effects of medical tort reform on access to health care.

     The Hawaii Association of Health Plans testified in support of this measure.  LRB, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii, and an individual offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by:

     (1)  Clarifying the type of information to be collected;

     (2)  Specifying that information also be collected from states without liability limitations; 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 Legislative Management that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 349, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 349, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Legislative Management,

____________________________

MICHAEL Y. MAGAOAY, Chair