CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 148

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2013

RE:    S.B. No. 498

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 498, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to address the emergency medical service needs of the residents of West and South Maui by appropriating funds for a twenty-four-hour, seven-days-a-week, special emergency medical response vehicle unit to be based in the Maalaea area on Maui, which will include a vehicle, equipment, and personnel costs for twenty-four-hour, seven-days-a-week staffing by state‑certified emergency medical service personnel.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the populations of West and South Maui have significantly increased over time, resulting in an increase of calls for emergency medical services from these communities.  Your Committee on Conference believes it is necessary and prudent to expand emergency medical response services, reduce response times, and increase the chances of a positive outcome for the residents of these communities.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of $600,000 out of the emergency medical services special fund to fund the vehicle unit and appropriate staffing for fiscal years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2013.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 498, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 498, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI, Co-Chair	____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair
____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Co-Chair	____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair