STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1076

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1410

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1410, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Repeal the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund (Special Fund) and redirect the Special Fund's revenue sources to the general fund;

     (2)  Appropriate general funds in an amount equal to the Special Fund revenues for fiscal year 2015-2016 to the Department of Health for purposes of overseeing the state comprehensive emergency medical system with no discernable disruptions;

     (3)  Require and appropriate funds to the Department of Health to establish and report to the Legislature on a two-year pilot program that permits county regulation and operation of ambulance service in the County of Hawaii and the City and County of Honolulu and preserves the Department's statewide systems for billing, communications, and medical records;

     (4)  Authorize the counties to expend a portion of Transient Accommodations Tax revenues to purchase vehicles, equipment and supplies, and pay any other costs incurred to supplement existing ambulance services; and

     (5)  Establish and appropriate funds for a three-year Community Paramedic Services Pilot Program, to be administered by the Department of Health, to train community health workers based on common core competencies to work with community paramedics.

The Hawaii Women's Coalition and an individual supported this measure.  The Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Council Chair of the Maui County Council, a Councilmember of the Maui County Council, Emergency Medical Services Division of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, American Medical Response, and an individual opposed this measure.  The Department of Health, Hawaii County Fire Department, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Hana Health, and three individuals provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the amount appropriated for the state comprehensive emergency medical services system to an unspecified amount; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1410, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1410, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair