STAND. COM. REP. NO.  194-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2011

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2011 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INVOLUNTARY PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish new procedures for the examination and involuntary hospitalization of persons who meet the criteria for commitment to psychiatric facilities.

The Hawaii Association of Professional Nurses and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Health, American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and an individual testified in opposition to this measure.  Several individuals commented on the measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Removing substance abuse from the scope of this measure;

(2)  Specifying that a person may be given treatment in an approved psychiatric facility for a period not to exceed 480 hours, rather than 20 days, upon the filing and service of a certification for extended involuntary emergency treatment;

(3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments to correct redundancies, and for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 2011, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2011, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair