STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1260
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2001
RE: H.B. No. 632
H.D. 3
S.D. 1
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. 632, H.D. 3, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure, as received, is to allow the Department of Human Services to license home and community-based case management agencies.
Your Committee heard testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Attorney General, Health Care Association of Hawaii, Coalition for Affordable Long Term Care, Queen's Medical Center, Residential Choices, fifteen private citizens as well as a petition with 165 signatures. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by United Group of Home Operators. Three private citizens provided comments on this measure.
Your Committee finds that there is a need for the licensure of home and community-based case management agencies and for these agencies to certify community care foster family homes. It will promote the development of cost-effective residential long term care options by allowing accessibility to all individuals requiring nursing facility level of care regardless of their eligibility for Medicaid benefits.
Your Committee has amended the measure by:
(1) Changing the definition of "community care foster home" to clarify that it does not include expanded adult residential care homes;
(2) Requiring the Department to adopt relevant rules to ensure protection for community care foster homes from unwarranted practices;
(3) Adding a Part II, which is an omnibus human service appropriation measure substantially similar to S.B. No. 394, S.D.2;
(4) Adding a part III, which will ensure that the Bridge-to-Hope program can keep 2000 appropriations, and further appropriating funds for the 2002-2003 fiscal biennium; and
(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes.
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. 632, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 632, H.D. 3, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,
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____________________________ DAVID MATSUURA, Chair |
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