STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1533

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 1339

      S.D. 1

      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. 1339, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RURAL AREAS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that the State's rural communities continue to be eligible for federal programs by designating areas in the State as rural for the purposes of eligibility for federal programs that require such a designation under state or federal law.

The Department of Health, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and a concerned individual supported 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. 1339, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1339, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair