STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3815

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1831

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1831, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRISIS INTERVENTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate moneys for a behavioral health crisis center pilot program.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Judiciary, Disability and Communication Access Board, State Council on Mental Health, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Community Alliance on Prisons, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Queen's Health System, AlohaCare, Hawaii Psychological Association, and two individuals.

Your Committees received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees received written comments on this measure from the ACLU of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that the behavioral health crisis centers established pursuant to this measure will help provide persons in crisis with faster access to care, limit the use of law enforcement resources for assisting persons in crisis, and reduce visits to hospital emergency rooms for crisis care and mental health services.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the dedicated first responder drop-off area that the measure requires at each behavioral health crisis center should be reserved for law enforcement vehicles and ambulances, as suggested in written comments from the Department of Health;

(2) Specifying that the moneys appropriated by the measure should also be expended for establishing a triage center for medically monitored detoxification and the treatment of substance abuse disorders and mental illnesses;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1831, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1831, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary,

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair