STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2655

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2539, S.D. 1, 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 a temporary special action team to address issues relating to the Hawaii State Hospital.

More specifically, the special action team shall:

(1)  Address capacity and census issues; and

(2)  Assist and advise the Department of Health in the development of a new forensic facility;

at the Hawaii State Hospital.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health.  Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

     Your Committee finds that a special action team was established in 2012 to address capacity and census issues at the Hawaii State Hospital.  While the special action team's report was valuable to the Governor and the Legislature, more information and action are needed to fully address remaining capacity and census issues at the Hospital.  Your Committee believes that the establishment of a new special action team is necessary to overcome bureaucratic hurdles, resolve the hospital's capacity and census issues, and develop a new forensic facility at the hospital.

     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. 2539, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair