STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1515

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 1336

      S.D. 2

      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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1336, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support access to acute, long term, and emergency medical care in our State, particularly in rural areas, by designating Kahuku Medical Center as a rural hospital for an unspecified amount of time to enable the Medical Center to maintain its status as a critical access hospital.

The Department of Health; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Kahuku Medical Center; and United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO testified in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1336, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1336, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair