STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2496

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3237

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3237 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LEAHI HOSPITAL MASTER PLAN,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Oahu Regional Board to convene a task force to develop a long-term care master plan for Leahi Hospital, and to appropriate funds for master plan development and task force staff support.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Maui County Executive on Aging, Kokua Council, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and three individuals from the Oahu Region Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.  Comments on the measure were submitted by the University of Hawaii. 

     Your Committees find that Leahi Hospital has begun the process of developing a master plan to address the State's long-term public policy goals and is committed to continue the process that will offer opportunities to create innovative and effective models of long-term care service.  Your Committees further find that a task force would bring broad expertise and support to the process, and that the appropriation is important and necessary in development of the master plan. 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Incorporating the comments made by the University of Hawaii by including the President of the University or the President's designee as a member of the task force; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3237, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3237, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Health,

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair