STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1480-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2540

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2540, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the immediate need for the development or expansion of a forensic facility at the Hawaii State Hospital by authorizing the Governor, with the assistance of the Director of Health, to directly negotiate with any person for the development or expansion of a Department of Health forensic facility, not subject to the restrictions inherent in the State Procurement Code.  This measure also provides for additional public scrutiny through an extended review and comment period for any required environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

The Department of Health; Department of Accounting and General Services; State Procurement Office; Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and United Public Workers, AFSCME, Local 646, and AFL-CIO provided comments on this measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2540, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair