STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3238

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2392

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2392, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to the Department of Health to support mitigation responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including vaccination response activities.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Health, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and Hawaii Primary Care Association.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Health currently has a shortfall of over $35,000,000 due to the costs it has incurred for community COVID-19 testing, medical surge staffing, and other COVID-19 mitigation efforts.  Your Committee further finds that while many of the Department of Health's COVID-19 related programs will eventually be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Health's current deficit prevents it from being able to maintain its current level of services to the State and community.  Thus, an emergency appropriation is necessary to continue to fund COVID-19 related efforts until the Department of Health receives FEMA reimbursement.  This measure provides for that emergency appropriation. 

 

     Your Committee acknowledges the testimony of the Department of Budget and Finance, which notes that the Governor has requested expeditious consideration and immediate passage of this bill and that the funds appropriated are expected to be fully reimbursed by FEMA.  Your Committee also acknowledges the testimony of the Department of Health providing the appropriation amounts necessary for fiscal years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 for COVID-19 related FEMA reimbursable expenditures.

 

     Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting the appropriation amounts requested by the Department of Health;

 

     (2)  Making it effective upon its approval; and

 

     (3)  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 that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2392, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2392, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair