STAND. COM. REP. NO.  197-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2434

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2434 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide emergency medical services to the expanding community of Puna and to augment the County of Hawaii emergency medical services system for residents and visitors of the island of Hawaii by appropriating funds to establish and staff an advanced life support medic unit in Puna on the island of Hawaii.

Hawaii Fire Fighters Association, Puna Community Medical Center, Puna Community Medical Clinic, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Health, Hawaii Fire Department, and two individuals commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Including the contents of H.B. No. 2529, which was heard by your Committee on February 8, 2016, and which appropriates funds to the County of Hawaii for the operation of emergency medical services for North Kona;

(2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2070, to encourage further discussion; and

(3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity.

     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 H.B. No. 2434, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2434, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair