RELATING TO THE STATE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Summary
SB1425 amends the membership and operating rules of the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee in Hawaii Revised Statutes section 321-225. The committee remains a 20-member body made up of three nonvoting ex officio members and 17 governor-appointed members representing physicians, health care consumers, allied health professionals, and emergency medical technicians or mobile intensive care technicians from each county.
The bill’s substantive change is narrow: it lowers the quorum requirement for the committee from a majority of appointed members to seven appointed members whose terms have not expired. The measure does not change the committee’s duties, compensation structure, or voting rule for actions taken once a quorum is present. It takes effect upon approval.
Impact
The bill would amend the quorum provision for the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee in section 321-225, Hawaii Revised Statutes. By allowing the committee to conduct business with seven qualified appointed members instead of a majority of appointed members, the measure would make it easier for the advisory committee to meet and act, potentially reducing delays in EMS-related advisory work. It does not alter the committee’s composition, appointment process, or substantive authority, but it would affect how the Department of Health’s EMS advisory body operates administratively.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests generally favorable support in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, where the bill passed 5-0 without amendment. However, the measure was later deferred by the Judiciary Committee, indicating that while the policy change appears modest and noncontroversial on its face, it did not advance cleanly through the full committee process. No transcript excerpts are available, so the broader discussion appears limited to procedural consideration rather than substantive debate.
Contention
The main point of possible contention is the reduced quorum threshold. Supporters would likely view the change as a practical fix to help the advisory committee maintain continuity and avoid stalled meetings when attendance is difficult. Any concern would center on whether lowering the quorum from a majority to seven members could allow a smaller subset of the appointed membership to make decisions for the committee, potentially reducing representativeness. The deferment in JDC suggests there may have been procedural or legal concerns, but no specific objections are provided in the available record.
Urging The aha Moku Advisory Committee To Follow Its Adopted Rules Of Practice, Fulfill Its Statutory Duties, Establish Policies To Assure Consistent Standards Of Administrative And Managerial Accountability; And Convening A Working Group To Make Recommendations.
Urging The aha Moku Advisory Committee To Follow Its Adopted Rules Of Practice, Fulfill Its Statutory Duties, Including Complying With The Sunshine Law, Conduct A Performance Review Of Its Executive Director, And Establish Policies To Assure Consistent Standards Of Administrative And Managerial Accountability; And Requesting The Office Of The Auditor To Conduct A Comprehensive Performance And Financial Audit Of The aha Moku Advisory Committee.
Relating to certain advisory entities and work groups under the jurisdiction of the comptroller of public accounts or on which the comptroller's office is represented and to the repeal or redesignation of certain of those entities.