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The Maui News
The state House on Tuesday passed a supplemental budget that covers basic operations for the 2019-21 biennium and includes funds for a medical residency program at UH-Maui College and 15 adult correctional officers at Maui Community Correctional Center.
House Bill 2200 HD1 adjusts amounts previously appropriated or authorized for state agencies and programs. The measure calls for $8 billion for the current fiscal year that ends June 30 and $8.1 billion for next fiscal year in general fund expenditures.
The budget is several million dollars less then Gov. David Ige's request because several items, including homelessness, affordable housing and some education issues, will be funded through separate bills, a news release from the House said.
The measure also includes $18 million for Maui Health System, the Kaiser-affiliate that runs Maui Memorial Medical Center and Kula and Lanai Community hospitals. Maui Health System officials said in October that they would be seeking $19 million from the state in operating funds for next fiscal year.
The House allotted the University of Hawaii $1.4 million for eight positions to establish a medical education and residency support program at UH-Maui College. With a goal to attract doctors to Maui, the funds would allow for staff to create a fully developed medical school program, which would admit up to six students for all four years of training.
The school would give preference to qualified applicants from Maui, UH medical school officials said. If funding is secured, the initial phase of student recruitment could begin next academic year with potentially the first Maui class in July 2021.
The funds for more guards at MCCC comes following a riot in March that caused millions of dollars in damage. The 15 permanent adult corrections officer positions at MCCC are funded by a $560,000 appropriation.
Filling those positions could be problematic, however. At an August state Senate committee meeting on Maui, the Department of Public Safety reported a 22 percent vacancy in adult corrections officer positions at MCCC. In addition, there were 22 adult corrections officers on workers' compensation/authorized leave and 55 others on federal family and medical leave.
The situation became so dire that corrections officers from around the state were flown in to help relieve the guard shortage at MCCC.
There also is funding in the state budget for 10.5 registered nurses for 24-hour coverage at Neighbor Island jails, including MCCC.
The budget highlights released by the House also included a new marine cargo specialist for Kahului Harbor with a $74,436 appropriation.
This is a first step in a long budget process, which also includes the House finalizing a capital improvements budget. The state Senate will pass its version of the budget that will have to be reconciled before formally approved by both houses and sent to the governor.