STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1523

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 473, 474

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 473 and 474, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

Health Planning Council, Honolulu Subarea

G.M. No. 473	TRACY H. OKUBO, for a term to expire 6-30-2013; and
G.M. No. 474	SUSAN STALDER, for a term to expire 6-30-2013,

begs leave to report as follows:

     Upon review of the statements submitted by the nominees, your Committee finds that the aforementioned nominees will work with compassion and commitment to assist in administering the functions related to health care planning for the people of Hawaii.  Your Committee further finds that the nominees have been appointed based on their credentials, integrity, and a desire to make Hawaii better through their participation on the Health Planning Council, Honolulu Subarea, to which they have been nominated.

     Your Committee received testimony supporting the nomination of each of these individuals from the Department of Health.  Additional testimony was submitted by the Hawaii Medical Association and six individuals supporting the nomination of Tracy H. Okubo, and by three individuals supporting the nomination of Susan Stalder.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Tracy H. Okubo currently works as a Researcher for the House Judiciary Committee.  She has over ten years of experience in government, working in various capacities with the Legislature.  She has worked closely with the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee this session on crafting public health policy regarding health information technology and exchange.  Ms. Okubo is also a consumer, having been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythamatosis and rheumatoid arthritis nearly fifteen years ago.

     Susan Stalder is President of Stalder Communications.  She has an excellent background in health care, serving as Director of Development at the D.C. Primary Care Association in Washington, D.C., Executive Director of Community HealthCare Center in Savannah, Georgia, and Director of Development at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville, Florida.  She is active in our community and serves as a volunteer to the Marine Corps.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair