STAND. COM. REP. NO. 389

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 206

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 206 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COST ITEMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the general fund appropriation funds for fiscal year 2014-2015 for the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation for collective bargaining cost items.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, East Hawaii Region; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Board of Directors; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Kauai Regional Board; and sixty-six individuals.

     Your Committees find that hospitals across the country are having to deal with declining payments from Medicare and Medicaid.  For hospitals in Hawaii, this situation is exacerbated by having increases in payroll due to recent collective bargaining.  This measure assists in funding mandated employment costs so that Hawaii communities continue to receive exceptional, quality health care.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Judiciary and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 206 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Judiciary and Labor,

____________________________ GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair