STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2626

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2349

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2349 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a pilot program within the Department of Health to provide treatment services to adults with chronic substance abuse problems.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Community Alliance for Mental Health, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that recent cutbacks in community health services have resulted in dramatic increases in emergency services for individuals with severe substance abuse problems.  Your Committee recognizes that a small percentage of consumers of medical services account for a majority of all medical costs, largely due to preventable or inappropriate use of emergency medical care.  Your Committee also acknowledges that substance abuse is a leading cause of preventable hospitalization.  Your Committee finds that a pilot program to treat adults with chronic substance abuse issues and provide them with support services will reduce the State's long-term medical costs and provide substance-dependent adults with the help they need to become productive members of society.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion on the measure; and

(3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2349, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2349, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair