Bill Text: HI SB2088 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Keiki Caucus; Early Intervention Services; Appropriation

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-11 - (S) Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [SB2088 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2088-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2201

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2088

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2088 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FUNDING OF EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to provide a supplemental dedicated source of funding for community-based, family-centered, early intervention services by means of an increase in the liquor tax.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, Parents and Children Together, and Easter Seals Hawaii.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Budget and Finance, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, The Legislative Center, the Wine Institute, and Kona Brewing Company.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that Hawaii's families require programs that provide early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays that proactively address biological and environmental risk factors that cause developmental delays.  Your Committees also find that although the intent of the measure is an important one, an increase in the alcohol tax may not be the most appropriate way to fund early intervention programs.  Your Committees further find that using funds from the Healthy Hawaii Initiative program administered through the Department of Health would be the most appropriate source of funding.

 

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended the measure by deleting all language referring to an alcohol tax increase and substituting language enabling the use of funds provided for the Healthy Hawaii Initiative program as a supplemental dedicated funding source for early intervention programs.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2088, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2088, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair		____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair