STAND. COM. REP. NO. 328

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 341

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 341 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE REVENUE BONDS TO ASSIST HAWAII ISLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to assist the Hawai‘i Island Community Health Center purchase or lease land on the island of Hawaii to develop primary care health care facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center; AlohaCare; and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center plays a critical role in providing comprehensive, affordable and accessible health care who often face significant barriers to receiving timely medical attention, whether due to geographical isolation, financial constraints, or other shortages. Your Committee further finds that the issuance of special purpose revenues bonds to assist Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center in purchasing or leasing land on the island of Hawaii will enable the State to increase access to primary care services for the residents of Hawaii island without imposing undue financial strain on taxpayers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the special purpose revenue bond issuance authorization amount to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider a special purpose revenue bond issuance authorization amount of $80,000,000.

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. 341, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 341, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair