STAND. COM. REP. NO. 306-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1963

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. 1963 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand the facilities or services that are exempt from certificate of need requirements to include hospice homes and other hospice facilities, dialysis centers, substance abuse facilities, psychiatric facilities, and certain bed change services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the State Health Planning and Development Agency; Kaua‘i Hospice; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Kōkua Mau; Hawai‘i Care Choices; and three individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from The Queen's Health System; Hawai‘i Pacific Health; and U.S. Renal Care.

Your Committee finds that the certificate of need process facilitates transparency, accountability, and the opportunity for dialogue between providers seeking to expand services in the health care marketplace through independent agency review. This measure is intended to improve access and remove barriers to health care services by expanding the types of facilities and services that would be exempt from the certificate of need process. Your Committee further finds that certain types of health care facilities may not need to undergo a certificate of need review; however, it remains important for certain other health care facilities to comply with the certificate of need process.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the total number of hospital bed changes from ten to an unspecified amount;

(2) Removing hospice homes and other hospice facilities and dialysis centers from the types of facilities exempt from a certificate of need;

(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. 1963, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1963, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair