STAND. COM. REP. NO. 222

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 971

       S.D. 1

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. 971 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Repeal the emergency medical services special fund;

     (2)  Redirect the special fund's revenue sources, which include the cigarette tax, motor vehicle registration fee, and investment pool returns, to the general fund; and

     (3)  Appropriate an equivalent dollar-for-dollar amount to the Department of Health for purposes of overseeing the statewide comprehensive emergency medical services system.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Kauai Paramedics Association, Hana Health, and six individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, Emergency Medical Services Division.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Taxation.

     Your Committee finds that it is essential that emergency medical services are provided with sufficient resources to ensure the safety and health of residents in this State.  Presently, the emergency medical services special fund provides funding for emergency medical services through revenue from the cigarette tax, motor vehicle registration fee, and investment pool returns.  However, by repealing the emergency medical services special fund and designating general funds to the emergency medical services system, this measure provides a more stable source of revenue or method of finance to assure uninterrupted services and continuity of the State's emergency medical services system.

     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. 971, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 971, 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