STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1007

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1504

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 1504, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish the Hawaii Health Authority to develop a comprehensive plan to provide universal health care in Hawaii.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Hawaii Government Employees Association, International Longshore and Warehouse Union ‑ Local 42, and Kokua Kalihi Valley.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Budget and Finance.  Comments on this measure were submitted by the Hawaii Medical Association, Kaiser Permanente, and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

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

     Your Committees find that all residents of Hawaii should have access to affordable health care.  Your Committees further find that the current administration is considering action on the federal level to provide universal access to health care and that this should be taken into consideration before further action is taken on the state level.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion on the matter.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1504, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1504, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair