STAND. COM. REP. NO. 279

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1138

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1138 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF HEALTHCARE ASSURANCE SPECIAL FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the annual expenditure ceiling of the Office of Healthcare Assurance Special Fund to meet expanding program needs and diminish dependence on the general fund.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and Hawai‘i Primary Care Association.

Your Committee finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has had deleterious effects on the State's economy. This measure increases the spending limit of the Office of Healthcare Assurance Special Fund thereby reducing reliance on the general funds of the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Prohibiting not more than an unspecified dollar amount of the special fund to be used by the Office of Health Care Assurance during any fiscal year;

(2) Requiring any amount in the special fund over an unspecified dollar amount on June 30 of each year to be deposited into the general fund;

(3) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) 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 Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1138, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1138, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair