Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2591, S.D. 2, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to require the Department of Health (DOH) to provide services to maintain and enhance caregiving for persons 60 years of age and older who reside in community-based homes that are not fee for service businesses, within the limits of available resources.

The ILWU Local 142, Kokua Council, Eldercare Support Group, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this measure. The Executive Office on Aging opposed this measure.

Your Committees find that long-term care for Hawaii's elderly is provided primarily through caregivers and their families. This measure recognizes the contribution for caregiving families and directs DOH to provide family and caregiver support, within the limits of state and federal resources that are available for this purpose.

Your Committees have amended this bill by:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2591, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2591, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.