STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2700

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2891

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2891 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TELEHEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to introduce telehealth service to health care providers and patients in the State by appropriating moneys to fund a telehealth pilot project.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, the University of Hawaii System, the Mayor's Office of the County of Hawaii, the Hawaii Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, the Hawaii Primary Care Association, the Wahiawa Center for Community Health, the OCC Legislative Priorities Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and two concerned individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office.

Your Committee finds that a telehealth pilot project would increase telehealth adoption rates in the State by increasing confidence in telehealth services among health care providers and patients.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2891, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2891, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair