STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2111

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2539

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2539 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE SPECIAL ACTION TEAM FOR THE HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a temporary special action team for the Hawaii State Hospital to address the capacity and census issues at the hospital and the development there of a new forensic facility ready for occupancy by June 30, 2019.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Office of Environmental Quality Control; United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646; and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

     Your Committee finds that the Governor established, pursuant to executive memorandum, a special action team in June 2012 to address capacity and census issues at the Hawaii State Hospital.  Members of the team included representatives from various state and county entities.  In its October 2012 report to the Governor, the special action team provided expertise and insight in various aspects of the mental health system, which provided valuable input to the Governor, Director of Health, and Legislature.  The establishment of a special action team is again necessary due to remaining capacity and census issues at the Hawaii State Hospital.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2539, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2539, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair