Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 429 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an appropriation as a match to bring in federal funds to establish four rehabilitation teacher positions to teach blindness skills.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and three private citizens.

This measure is intended to benefit individuals age fifty-five or older with legal blindness or severe visual impairment to live as independently as possible. The teachers provided by the appropriation in this measure will work with 1,913 people on the DHS's blind register and numerous others who are not registered, by teaching blindness skills and delivering independent living services in their homes or places of residence.

According to testimony of the DHS, the matching federal funds come from the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration's Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind grant program. The $25,000 general fund appropriation is anticipated to be matched by $225,000 in federal funds. Your Committee finds that this measure is an excellent example of maximizing federal funding.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 429 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.