STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2755

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2094

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2094 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST HAWAII PACIFIC HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of $75,000,000 in special purpose revenue bonds to assist Hawaii Pacific Health in financing, refinancing, and reimbursing costs related to the acquisition or construction of health care facilities.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Hawai‘i Pacific Health and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that Hawai‘i Pacific Health is the State's largest health care provider with a network of four nonprofit hospitals, including Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children, Kapi‘olani Medical Center at Pali Momi, Straub Clinic & Hospital, and Wilcox Memorial Hospital, 44 outpatient clinics, and more than 2,200 physicians and clinicians.  Hawai‘i Pacific Health will use the added capital to refinance an existing bank loan issued to refund tax exempt bonds and to finance the renovation of its hospital facilities and purchase of medical equipment.  Your Committee further finds that the uses for which Hawai‘i Pacific Health has earmarked the funds provided by this measure are pressing enough to warrant passage of this measure.

     Your Committee takes note of the recommendation from the Department of the Attorney General that this measure should not be passed before passage of the Executive Supplemental Budget for fiscal year 2011. 

     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. 2094, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair