Appropriates funds for the Sage PLUS program to establish four .5 FTE Sage PLUS specialist positions to expand services to the neighbor islands and to support the program's operating costs. Grandfathers in existing Sage PLUS employees into civil service. (SD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The Sage PLUS program provides assistance at no charge to people receiving medicare and medicaid benefits, as well as their families, caregivers, and people on the verge of retirement.

The program is currently housed and staffed only on Oahu. Volunteers provide limited service on the neighbor islands for residents of Hilo, Kona, Maui, and Kauai, but there is no office or staff support available to them.

The Oahu Sage PLUS office is staffed by two employees whose positions are scheduled to be converted from exempt to civil service status during this calendar year. Due to the complex nature of medicare and medicaid benefits, especially in light of the recent implementation of the federal medicare part D drug plan, it is imperative that experienced personnel remain with the Sage PLUS program.

The purpose of this Act is to:

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, to fund four 0.5 FTE program specialist ___ positions for operation and delivery of the Sage PLUS program on the neighbor islands. The employees shall be housed in Sage PLUS's partner offices as follows:

(1) Maui area agency on aging;

(2) Kauai area agency on aging;

(3) Coordinated Services for Seniors in Hilo; and

(4) Coordinated Services for Seniors in Kona.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this section.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the recruitment, training, and sustaining of volunteers to augment the Sage PLUS program staff, and for operating costs of the neighbor island Sage PLUS program staff.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the purposes of this section.

SECTION 4. An employee of the department of health's Sage PLUS program who, on the effective date of this Act, occupies a position that is to be converted to civil service pursuant to a recommendation made to convert the position to civil service in accordance with section 3 of Act 128, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, shall not suffer any loss of salary, seniority, prior service credit, vacation, sick leave, or other employee benefit or privilege as a consequence of the position's conversion to civil service, and such officer or employee shall be transferred or appointed to the civil service position established within the Sage PLUS program without the necessity of examination; provided that the officer or employee possesses the minimum qualifications for the position to which transferred or appointed; and provided further that subsequent changes in status may be made pursuant to applicable civil service and compensation laws.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.