STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1190

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 44

      S.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 Public Safety, to which was referred S.B. No. 44, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to assist the mental health community.  Specifically, this measure, among other things:

     (1)  Adds the definition of "law enforcement officer" to Chapter 334, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), relating to mental health, mental illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism;

     (2)  Changes references of "police officer" to "law enforcement officer" in sections of the HRS relating to emergency hospital admission and involuntary hospitalization; and

     (3)  Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses to assess whether there is probable cause to believe a person is mentally ill, suffering from substance abuse, imminently dangerous to self or others, gravely disabled, or obviously ill, and in need of care or treatment, or both.

The Department of Public Safety, Department of Health, Department of the Attorney General, Hawai‘i State Center for Nursing, Community Alliance for Mental Health, United Self Help, and a number of concerned individuals supported this measure.  A concerned individual supported this measure with amendments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 44, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Health.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

HENRY J.C. AQUINO, Chair