STAND. COM. REP. NO.  85

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 313

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 313 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for one ambulance unit each and related operational costs for the County of Kauai and the County of Hawaii.

 

     The Hawaii State Association of Counties, the County of Hawaii Fire Department, the County of Kauai Fire Department, Kauai County Council, American Medical Response, Wilcox Memorial Center, and a handful of individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Department of Health and an individual provided comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee notes the Department of Health testified that, should the Legislature wish to increase the Hawaii and Kauai County EMS resources, the requisite funds needed are estimated to be $1,500,000 per year for each ambulance unit.

 

     Although your Committee did not receive written testimony from the City and County of Honolulu, your Committee acknowledges it as a major stakeholder and appreciates the City and County's recognition of Kauai and Hawaii Counties' greater need for ambulances at this time.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2090, to facilitate further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 313, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 313, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair