STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2732

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3095

       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. 3095 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure the safety and well-being of workers and patients at the Hawaii State Hospital.

Specifically, this measure requires the designation of a portion of the Hawaii State Hospital as a forensic facility and appropriates moneys to the Department of Health for any necessary expenses resulting from the designation.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety, the Hawaii Government Employees Association, and one individual.  The Department of Health and the Hawaii Disability Rights Center submitted written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that there are legitimate concerns about the safety of workers and patients at the Hawaii State Hospital, due in large part to a change in patient demographics resulting from court-ordered forensic admissions.  Your Committee further finds that designating a portion of the Hawaii State Hospital as a forensic facility would allow the hospital to provide forensic patients with mental health treatment services in an appropriate environment that includes higher security features.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion; and

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

     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. 3095, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3095, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair