STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3412
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: H.B. No. 1975
H.D. 1
S.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirtieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2020
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1975, H.D. 1, 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 require:
(1) Any county of the State with a population greater than five
hundred thousand to provide emergency medical services in a transparent and
fiscally responsible manner; and
(2) Any affected county to conduct an evaluation regarding the finances and operations of the county's emergency medical services system and submit a report to the Legislature and Department of Health.
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Honolulu Emergency Services Department of the City and County of Honolulu.
Your Committee finds that emergency medical services are essential to the public health of Hawaii's visitors and residents. Bringing accountability to the operations of the counties' emergency medical services systems by requiring transparency and fiscal responsibility will ensure taxpayers' funds are spent appropriately. If the cost analysis proposed by this measure is expanded to all four counties, it could further assist in identifying and understanding emergency medical services funding requirements and realities across the State.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Requiring that a county in the State with a population greater than five hundred thousand adopts the recommendations of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and submits a report to the Legislature on steps taken to improve efficiency and revenue recovery for emergency medical services;
(2) Expanding the requirement to conduct an evaluation of the finances and operations of the county's emergency medical services system to all counties in the State; and
(3) 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 H.B. No. 1975, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1975, H.D. 1, 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,
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________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair |
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