STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1556

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 69

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.R. No. 69 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONVENE AN AEROMEDICAL SERVICES WORKING GROUP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Health to convene an Aeromedical Services Working Group.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Air Methods, and Hawaii Medical Association.

Your Committee finds that the existing aeromedical services system is in the State overburdened and is currently served by only one statewide aeromedical services provider, for which there are few viable and cost-effective alternatives in the event of a grounding. Your Committee further finds that there are a number of barriers to expanding the aeromedical services system, including insufficient funding, plans, procedures, and protocols, and that deliberate collaboration is warranted to address the State's aeromedical services system inadequacies. Accordingly, this resolution convenes an Aeromedical Services Working Group to promote collaboration amongst emergency medical services providers, legislators, executive agencies, hospitals, health insurance providers, and air medical companies to develop plans, procedures, and protocols, and secure and provide funding to improve the State's aeromedical services system.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 69, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 69, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair