Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2703, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand housing opportunities for the elderly in state-funded public and private housing projects.

Your Committee finds that present policies for the elderly in state-funded housing projects prohibit qualifying elderly persons who are sixty-two years of age from living with relatively younger spouses or co-tenants. Also, the age requirement precludes mature adults who have disabilities but who have not reached the age of sixty-two from accessing elderly housing opportunities.

This bill provides needed flexibility in elderly housing policies by recognizing the housing needs of the elderly and those that reside with the elderly. The bill allows a qualifying elderly person to live with a spouse who is at least the age of majority, and any remaining household members must be at least fifty-five years of age.

The bill also allows live-in aides who must be at least eighteen years of age and who provide verifiable services that are essential to the elderly person's health and well being. Finally, the bill includes a person with disabilities under the definition of "elder or elderly housing".

Your Committee has amended the bill by making technical changes that have no substantive effect.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2703, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2703, S.D. 2.