Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1872 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds to assist Palolo Chinese Home, a Hawaii not-for-profit corporation, and its not-for-profit subsidiaries, in financing the expansion, construction, and rebuilding of its health care facilities.

In operation since 1917, Palolo Chinese Home is Hawaii's largest and second oldest adult care home facility. Its mission is to assist and care for the aged and indigent, maintain homes for them, and alleviate their suffering and distress through works of charity, mercy, and benevolence. To fulfill this mission, Palolo Chinese Home provides the elderly with extended care and intermediate and skilled nursing care, as well as community services for those who wish to remain in their own homes, including good neighbor referral service, adult daycare, meal delivery, overnight respite services, and access to its community-based, integrated information network to services for the elderly.

Your Committee recognizes that Hawaii has the fastest growing rate of senior citizens per capita in the nation, with the over sixty years of age population growing 2.5 times faster than the national average. To meet the rapidly increasing demand for residential and community-based services, Palolo Chinese Home has developed a plan for redevelopment that replaces, renovates, and expands its existing facilities. The plan addresses the need for residential units that meet assisted living regulations and increased skilled nursing bed needs in an environment that embraces the aging-in-place and neighborhood concepts. Among other things, the plan includes the design and construction of a campus community center with a food service complex, chapel, meeting rooms, family activity rooms, dining rooms, and administrative offices. To date, Palolo Chinese Home has raised approximately seventy per cent of its capital campaign goal and projects the receipt of an additional $3,000,000 through extensive fundraising efforts.

Your Committee supports the Palolo Chinese Home in its efforts to meet the rapidly increasing needs of Hawaii's elders and their families and finds that these efforts are clearly in the public interest and for the public health, safety, and general welfare.

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. 1872 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.