STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2181

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2344

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2344 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HAWAII HEALTH AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation for the Hawaii Health Authority.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two members of the Hawaii Health Authority and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of the Governor.

     Your Committee finds that funds for the Hawaii Health Authority are necessary to conduct duties required by statute and are especially needed to hire administrative staff, researchers, and consultants so that the Authority may fulfill such duties.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the expending agency from the Department of Budget and Finance to the Office of the Governor at the recommendation of the Office of the Governor's Healthcare Transformation Leadership Team; and

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to allow for further discussion.

     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 S.B. No. 2344, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2344, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

JOSH GREEN, M.D., Chair