SB2941

Report Title:

Hospital and Medical Facilities Special fund; Educational Programs

Description:

Expands the hospital and medical facilities special fund to include education and public outreach. Provides that administrative penalties be deposited into the general fund.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2941
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to HEALTH.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 321-1.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§321-1.4[]] Hospital and medical facilities special fund; deposits; expenditures. (a) There is established within the department of health, to be administered by the department of health, the hospital and medical facilities special fund into which shall be deposited all moneys collected under section 321-11.5(b).

(b) Moneys in the special fund shall be expended by the department to assist in offsetting educational program expenses of the department's hospital and medical facilities branch. Moneys in the fund shall be expended by the department for the purpose of enhancing the capacity of hospital and medical facilities to:

(1) Improve public outreach efforts and consultations to industries regulated; and

(2) Educate the public, staff, and industries regulated thereunder.

Not more than $ of the fund may be utilized during any fiscal year for education.

(d) The department shall submit a report to the legislature concerning status of the hospital and medical facilities special fund, including, but not limited to, the amount of moneys taken in by and expended from the fund, and the sources of receipts and uses of expenditures, not less than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session."

SECTION 2. Section 321-20, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§321-20[]] Remedies. Notwithstanding other penalties, the director may enforce this chapter in either administrative or judicial proceedings:

(1) Administrative. If the director determines that any person is violating any provision of this chapter, any rule adopted thereunder, or any variance or exemption or waiver issued pursuant thereto, the director may have that person served with a notice of violation and an order. The notice shall specify the alleged violation. The order may require that the alleged violator do any or all of the following: cease and desist from the violation, pay an administrative penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each day of violation, correct the violation at the alleged violator's own expense, or appear before the director at a time and place specified in the order and answer the charges complained of. The order shall become final twenty days after service unless within those twenty days the alleged violator requests in writing a hearing before the director. Upon such request the director shall specify a time and place for the alleged violator to appear. When the director issues an order for immediate action to protect the public health from an imminent and substantial danger, the department shall provide an opportunity for a hearing within twenty-four hours after service of the order. After a hearing pursuant to this subsection, the director may affirm, modify, or rescind the order as appropriate. The director may institute a civil action in any court of appropriate jurisdiction for the enforcement of any order issued pursuant to this subsection.

Factors to be considered in imposing the administrative penalty include the nature and history of the violation and any prior violation and the opportunity, difficulty, and history of corrective action. It is presumed that the violator's economic and financial conditions allow payment of the penalty and the burden of proof to the contrary is on the violator. The administrative penalty shall be deposited in the state general fund. In any judicial proceeding to enforce the administrative penalty imposed pursuant to this chapter, the director need only show that notice was given, a hearing was held or the time granted for requesting a hearing had expired without such a request, the administrative penalty imposed, and that the penalty imposed remains unsatisfied.

This section does not supersede specific administrative penalties provided elsewhere.

(2) Judicial. The director may institute a civil action in any court of appropriate jurisdiction for injunctive relief to prevent violation of any order issued or rule adopted pursuant to this chapter, in addition to any other remedy or penalty provided for under this chapter."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2002.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________