STAND. COM. REP. NO.  2093

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   S.B. No. 1492

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1492, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MENTAL HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require and appropriate funds for the Department of Health to track and publicly report data relating to crisis reports, emergency mental health transports, and court-ordered treatments;

 

     (2)  Require the Department of Health, or a contracted service provider, to review reports about persons having severe mental illnesses who need assistance; assess whether the person may fulfill the criteria for assisted community treatment; and, if the person meets the criteria, coordinate the process for an assisted community treatment order;

 

     (3)  Establish that a court's denial of a petition for involuntary commitment shall serve as notification to the Department of Health that the person should be evaluated for assisted community treatment;

 

     (4)  Require the Department of the Attorney General to assist with the preparation and filing of assisted community treatment petitions and related court proceedings for private petitioners, unless the petitioner declines the assistance; and

 

     (5)  Appropriate funds to the Department of Health to develop and implement statewide media, education, and training activities for policies related to emergency examination and hospitalization and assisted community treatment for those in need of mental health intervention.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor, Judiciary, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the number of full-time equivalent positions established by this measure to an unspecified number; 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1492, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1492, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair