STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 351-26
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2026
RE: H.B. No. 2173
H.D. 1
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2026
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2173 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AMBULANCES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to:
(1) Purchase an advanced life support ambulance and related equipment to be based in the Central Maui area of the County of Maui and fund pay-related personnel costs for state-certified emergency medical services personnel; and
(2) Increase the predictability and stability of available air ambulance services for all islands in the State.
Your Committee finds that statewide 911 EMS data clearly demonstrates that Maui County is experiencing sustained and increasing demand for emergency medical services, particularly in the Central Maui region, with thirty-four percent of all EMS responses for Maui County originating from Central Maui. Your Committee further finds that because of Maui County's geographic challenges and the presence of remote and rural areas that are not within close proximity to acute care hospitals, response times to 911 calls across Maui County are typically slower than the Department of Health's quality benchmarks and that transport times are almost ten minutes longer than the national EMS benchmark. This measure seeks to reduce death and disability among residents and visitors to Central Maui by providing funds for an advanced life support ambulance, which will ensure timely responses to 911 calls.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $1,750,000 for an advanced life support ambulance and related equipment for Central Maui and related personnel costs.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2173, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2173, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair |