STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1203-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 2348

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2348, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to support public health by appropriating funds to establish two advanced life support ambulances, to be based in the Puna and Makalei areas on the island of Hawaii.

The State Fire Council; Hawaii Fire Department; United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, AFL-CIO; and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Health provided comments.

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that, per the oral testimony of the Department of Health, an increase to the ceiling of the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund be considered.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the funding source for the appropriated sums from the general fund to the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund; 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 Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2348, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2348, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair