STAND. COM. REP. NO.  369

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 655

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 655 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to apply the protections currently afforded to emergency medical services providers, to other medical services providers, by broadening the application of criminal assault in the second degree to include intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to any medical services provider who is engaged in the performance of duty.

Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Pali Momi Medical Center, and the American Organization of Nurse Executives, Hawaii Chapter supported this measure.  Kaiser Permanente Hawaii supported this measure with amendments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Expanding the definition of "medical services provider" to include unlicensed medical professionals providing services in a hospital, medical clinic, or federally qualified health center; and

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate continued 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 H.B. No. 655, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 655, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair