STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1693

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1281

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1281, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate the provision of emergency medical services within a county having a population of five hundred thousand or more.

 

     More specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Establishes, beginning on July 1, 2021, a three-year transfer of certain duties, functions, and powers relating to emergency medical services for the City and County of Honolulu from the Department of Health to the City and County of Honolulu;

 

     (2)  Appropriates general funds to the City and County of Honolulu for emergency medical services for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023;

 

     (3)  Appropriates moneys in the emergency medical services special fund to the City and County of Honolulu for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023; and

 

     (4)  Phases out funding from general revenues for emergency medical services in the City and County of Honolulu before July 1, 2024.

 

     Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health and Hawaii Medical Service Association.

 

     Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the Emergency Services Department, City and County of Honolulu; and United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646.

 

     Your Committees find that under current practice, the counties negotiate most of the costs for emergency medical services and the State pays those costs, which now exceed $100,000,000 statewide.  Accordingly, your Committees find it appropriate for the State to pursue a cost-sharing model, between the State and each county having a population of five hundred thousand or more, for emergency medical services.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that individuals acting as dispatchers in the State as of the effective date of the measure shall obtain emergency medical dispatch certification by July 1, 2026, and shall maintain certification thereafter;

 

     (2)  Amending section 321-234(b), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to codify the annual fiscal year distribution of $3,500,000 from the emergency medical services special fund to a county operating a county emergency medical services system established pursuant to the measure, effective July 1, 2021;

 

     (3)  Clarifying the timing of and correcting a reference to the duration of the transition of certain rights, powers, functions, and duties from the Department of Health to the City and County of Honolulu;

 

     (4)  Clarifying the amounts, distribution, and purpose of funds allocated to the City and County of Honolulu for the purposes of the foregoing transition; and

 

     (5)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1281, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1281, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair