STAND. COM. REP. NO. 602-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1941

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1941 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO IMPLEMENT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation to the Department of Health to implement quality improvement recommendations for the Hawaii State Hospital.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Disability and Communication Access Board; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that there are potential risks to safety and security at the Hawaii State Hospital, which could adversely affect patients and staff if not immediately addressed. Your Committee further finds that the emergency appropriation in this measure is necessary to address immediate safety and quality of service concerns at the Hawaii State Hospital.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the preamble;

(2) Changing the source of funding for the appropriation to the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Special Fund, rather than the general fund, and changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) 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 & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1941, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1941, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair