STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3312

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2544

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2544, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish within the Department of Health a two-year pilot project to charter flights from rural islands to an urban island to provide rural island residents with reliable transportation to medical care on urban islands; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the pilot project.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Maui County Council; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; Hawaii Medical Service Association; Molokaʻi Drugs, Inc.; ʻAhahui o nā Kauka, Association of Native Hawaiian Physicians; Hawaiʻi Pacific Health; The Queen's Health System; Indivisible Hawaiʻi; AlohaCare; and nine individuals.

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

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Department of Health.

Your Committees find that rural islands such as Molokai and Lanai must utilize a single air carrier available to the public for departures from each island. However, residents have experienced significant delays, frequent and last-minute flight changes, and cancellations. As residents rely on air travel for medical, family, and work obligations, providing consistent service between rural islands is necessary to ensure the health and safety of Hawaii's people. Therefore, this measure expands air travel options for residents in the rural islands to provide reliable, consistent service to receive much needed medical services.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committees note that according to the Department of Health, an appropriation amount of $2,000,000, for the purposes of this measure, is already included in H.B. No. 1800, Regular Session of 2024, relating to the State Budget, which was passed by the House of Representatives and is currently scheduled to be heard by your Committee on Ways and Means.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2544, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2544, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair