STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2221

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3126

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3126 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an Emergency Aeromedical Services Partnership Program to be administered by the Department of Health in counties with a population less than 500,000;

(2) Require cost-sharing for program operations and maintenance and revenue sharing between the State and the County of Hawaii, County of Kauai, and County of Maui;

(3) Authorize deposits into the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund; and

(4) Appropriate funds.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, one member of the Maui County Council, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health, Queen's Health System, Global Medical Response, and one individual.

Your Committees find that a comprehensive statewide air ambulance program will greatly improve health care for rural areas at greater risk of poor health outcomes. The existing system of interisland emergency medical transport is overburdened posing a risk to health and safety. Your Committees further find that the approximate cost for funding out of the general fund is $18,000,000, however, more details need to be discussed, including how the program participants and stakeholders may share the cost to maintain assets.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an unspecified appropriation amount into and out of the Emergency Medical Services Special Fund;

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

Your Committees note that the Senate Draft 1 of this measure contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it considers inserting an appropriation amount of $18,000,000 for fiscal year 2024-25.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3126, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3126, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair