HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-03-27 Letter to Tokuda re HB 1410 HD2 SD1, EMS
Wil Okabe
Managing Director
Harry Kim
Mayor
Barbara J. Kossow
Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawai‘i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808) 961-8211 Fax (808) 961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740
(808) 323-4444 Fax (808) 323-4440
Dear Chair Tokuda and Committee members:
Re: HB1410, HD2, SD1, EMS
Thank you for this opportunity to testify in support of the intent of HB 1410, HD2, SD1,
as it relates to emergency medical services.
We are grateful that the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health
Committee removed the provisions of HD2 that we believe would have been
deleterious to the EMS system, and we agree with the finding of the Senate CPH
Committee that “it is essential that emergency medical services are provided with
sufficient resources to ensure the safety and health of residents in this State.” We are
less certain that CPH was correct in finding that “by repealing the emergency medical
services special fund and designating general funds to the emergency medical services
system, this measure provides a more stable source of revenue or method of finance
to assure uninterrupted services and continuity of the State's emergency medical
services system.”
So we simply ask this Committee to provide whatever method of funding will best
assure continued, uninterrupted emergency medical services.
Respectfully submitted,
Harry Kim
Mayor
County of Hawaii
County of Hawai‘i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.