STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1115

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1373

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1373 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to appropriate emergency funding to the Department of Health (DOH) to ensure the State's compliance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA).  Specifically, this bill appropriates general funds for fiscal year 2006-2007 to provide additional early intervention services to meet the increased needs of infants and children with developmental delay or at biological or environmental risk for developmental delay.

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in her Governor's Message No. 237 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill by the Legislature citing an existing critical funding shortage.

     DOH, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawaii Chapter-American Physical Therapy Association, Easter Seals Hawaii, and the Center on Disability Studies testified in support of this bill. 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Decreasing the appropriation amount from $5,299,809 to

          $4,419,644 to reflect an increased amount of Early

          Intervention Special Funds used to help cover the

          anticipated deficit;

     (2)  Adding a new section which provides the reasons why and

          the amount and rate by which the appropriation contained

          in this bill exceeds the state spending limit to comply

          with statutory and constitutional requirements; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style,

          clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1373, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1373, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair