STAND. COM. REP. NO. 217

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 453

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. 453 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for one ambulance unit each for the County of Kauai and the County of Hawaii, including equipment, supplies, and personnel costs.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor, Kauai County; Hawaii Fire Department, County of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i State Association of Counties; Maui County Council; American Medical Response; Kauai Paramedics Association; Kaua‘i County Council; Hawaii Fire Fighters Association; Hawai‘i Pacific Health; and fifteen individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

     Your Committee finds that inadequate resources for emergency medical services can severely impact people's health, and can even be a matter of life and death.  Your Committee further finds that the critical nature of emergency medical service is especially strong in many of the rural areas of the Island of Kauai and the Island of Hawaii.

     Your Committee further finds that despite significant population increases over the past fifteen years, the last time Kauai County received an additional ambulance was in 1992 and Hawaii County has not received an additional ambulance since 2005.  The Department of Health Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention Branch meets regularly with all Hawaii emergency service providers to review the State's 911 response capabilities and system challenges.  This group has identified Puna and the surrounding areas of Hawaii County as well as Kauai County as the highest areas of need for additional ambulance units to meet the areas' growing health and safety needs.

     Your Committee notes that although the appropriation in this measure is blank, the Department of Health submitted testimony indicating that the requisite funds needed are $1,500,000 per year for an ambulance unit for the County of Kauai and $1,500,000 per year for an ambulance unit for the County of Hawaii.

     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. 453 and recommends that it pass Second Reading 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