STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2730

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3203

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3203 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AIR MEDICAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the State's air medical services.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes permanent, dedicated air medical staffing within the Emergency Medical Services and Injury Prevention Systems Branch of the Department of Health;

(2) Strengthens statewide governance, coordination, and oversight of emergency aeromedical and interfacility air medical services;

(3) Supports data-driven quality improvement, accountability, and performance monitoring;

(4) Enhances disaster preparedness and multi-island response capabilities through clearly defined authority and coordinated air medical operations; and

(5) Promotes health equity by supporting timely access to emergency medical care for rural and neighbor island communities.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, AlohaCare, Hawaii Medical Association, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that air medical services are an essential component of Hawaii's emergency medical care systems, healthcare infrastructure, and all-hazards disaster preparedness. Your Committee notes that Hawaii's geographic isolation, multi‑island structure, rural communities, and limited access to specialty and tertiary care make timely air medical transport critical to providing equitable access to lifesaving care, especially on neighbor islands. Accordingly, your Committee finds that this measure will help the State implement nationally recognized best practices, which emphasize centralized governance; clinically driven coordination; continuous quality improvement, and integration with trauma, stroke, cardiac, and acute care centers, and with emergency medical services, and disaster response agencies.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3203 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair