STAND. COM. REP. NO. 753

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 298

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 298 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate moneys for the purchase of one advanced life support ambulance and equipment and for personnel costs, for the Makalei area on the island of Hawaii.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii County Council and one individual.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.  The Department of Health submitted written comments on this measure.

     Your Committee finds that the population of the Makalei area on the island of Hawaii has recently experienced significant population growth.  In conjunction with the population growth, the Makalei area has experienced a steady increase in calls for emergency medical services to the area, as many Makalei residents live far from the nearest primary care services and must rely on emergency medical services for care.  Increased calls for emergency medical services can result in delays in call response time, possibly resulting in serious medical complications for those needing medical attention.  An additional ambulance will provide this area with more access to health care and limit response times to the area for emergency medical services.

     Your Committee requests that, should subsequent Standing Committees decide to consider this measure, those Committees:

(1)  Obtain from the Department of Health an accurate cost assessment on the amount of funding needed to fulfill the purposes of this measure;

(2)  Consider changing the means of financing from general funds to the emergency medical services special fund, if sufficient moneys are available in that special fund; and

(3)  Consider greater flexibility on the shift times during which the ambulance may be used.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and consistency.

     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. 298, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 298, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair