STAND. COM. REP. NO.  151-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2022

RE:   H.B. No. 1638

      H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1638 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A KONA HOSPITAL SITE ASSESSMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for a site assessment to identify and evaluate viable locations for a new hospital site in North Kona on the island of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Mayor of the County of Hawai‘i, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Kuakini Hawaiian Civic Club of Kona, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation West Hawaii Region, and five individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

     Your Committee finds that the Kona community has outgrown the current Kona Community Hospital.  Your Committee further finds that expansion of the existing facility is prevented by the facility's wastewater system, which is already at capacity.  This measure will allow for the identification and evaluation of viable locations for a new hospital site in North Kona, on the island of Hawaii, which will allow for the creation of a new, more modern facility that can better serve the North Kona community.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1638, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1638, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness,

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair