STAND. COM. REP. NO. 133

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 172
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 172
entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOSPICE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Department of
Health to license hospice service agencies.

     The Department of Health, the Executive Office on Aging,
Hospice Hawaii, the Hawaii Nurses Association, the Healthcare
Association of Hawaii, Hospice of Hilo, Hospice Maui, Kauai
Hospice, North Hawaii Hospice, Inc., St. Francis Health Service
Network, Hawaii Right to Life, and concerned members of the
community supported this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting redundant criteria relating to licensing of
          hospices;

     (2)  Defining "hospice home" as any facility operated by a
          licensed hospice service agency providing twenty-four
          hour living accommodations to five or fewer unrelated
          persons admitted to a hospice program of care; 

     (3)  Amending the definition of "hospice" to include hospice
          homes;


 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 133
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     (4)  Allowing hospice homes in residential areas; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
172, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second
Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 172, H.D. 1, and
be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   ALEXANDER C. SANTIAGO, Chair