STAND. COM. REP. NO. 600

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 202

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 202 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SERVICE AREA BOARDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish specific quorum and voting requirements for service area boards on mental health and substance abuse; and

     (2)  Establish service area boards on mental health and substance abuse within the Department of Health for administrative purposes.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that it is important that service area boards on mental health and substance abuse are able to deliberate and make decisions on issues affecting each county.  According to the Department of Health, many of the service area boards face challenges holding meetings due to lack of quorum, and only one board was able to hold official meetings during fiscal year 2016.  Your Committee further finds that defining quorum based on the number of currently appointed members present immediately before a meeting instead of based on the number of members to which each board is entitled will better enable service area boards to meet quorum requirements.

     Your Committee requests that the Department of Health make all available efforts to recruit members for the service area boards on mental health and substance abuse so that the boards are able to carry out their purpose of advising service area administrators about service area needs to prevent and treat mental or emotional disorders, combined mental illness substance abuse disorders, and persons afflicted by these disorders.

     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. 202 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair