STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1433

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 53

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 53 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A HOSPITAL IN NORTH KONA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to convene a task force to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a hospital in North Kona.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs – Hawai‘i Council, Kohala Coast Resort Association, County of Hawai‘i Office of the Mayor, and seventeen individuals.

Your Committee finds that the population of North Kona on the island of Hawaii has significantly increased over the years, which has corresponded with a steady increase in the need for convenient access to medical services. Your Committee further finds that the residents of North Kona would greatly benefit from the addition of a hospital in their community. This measure requests the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to convene a task force to conduct a feasibility study for construction of a hospital in North Kona.

Your Committee recognizes the testimony of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, which recommended that the task force also conduct a health care needs assessment of the West Hawaii region to contextualize the need for a new hospital and to add a representative of Queen's North Hawaii Community Hospital to the task force.

As such, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the task force to also conduct a health care needs assessment of the West Hawaii region;

(2) Adding a representative of Queen's North Hawaii Community Hospital to the task force;

(3) Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose; and

(4) 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 53, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 53, S.D. 1.

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

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JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair