STAND. COM. REP. NO.  105-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1722

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1722 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the emergency medical response needs of the community on the Island of Hawaii by appropriating funds to establish two special emergency medical response vehicle units to be based in the Puna and Makalei areas, including the acquisition of vehicles, equipment, and personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical service personnel.

The Hawaii Fire Department of the County of Hawaii, American Medical Response, and two individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Health commented on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the reference to "special emergency medical response vehicle units", to "advanced life support ambulances";

(2)  Specifying that the two ambulances are to be used during daily peak hours from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.;

(3)  Changing its effective date to January 1, 2015; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity and style.

     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. 1722, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1722, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair