STAND. COM. REP. NO. 143

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 1708

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 1708 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MOLOKAI GENERAL HOSPITAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for capital improvements of the Molokai General Hospital provided that the funds shall be released as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs provides funding at $1 for every $2 of the appropriation.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, a Maui County Council member, Molokai General Hospital, Molokai Community Health Center, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and two individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Department of Health submitted comments.

Your Committee finds that the Molokai General Hospital of the Queen's Health Systems faces a continuing challenge of generating revenue sufficient to support its capital improvements and to meet the health care needs of the population it serves, a large percentage of whom are Native Hawaiians. It remains very difficult to provide for community-focused quality health care in a rural, economically challenged setting. Therefore, support from the State is important to maintain health care services for the island community. Molokai General Hospital is the only hospital on Molokai, providing emergency care, urgent acute, and long-term inpatient care services.

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. 1708 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair