Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1055 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Department of Health (DOH) to reimburse providers of developmental disabilities residential services for services they provide to individuals with developmental disabilities or mental retardation.

The Judiciary, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Disability and Communication Access Board, the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, The Arc in Hawaii, Kona Krafts, and several concerned individuals supported this bill. DOH and the Department of Human Services (DHS) supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committees find that providers of residential services to individuals with developmental disabilities or mental retardation need to be adequately reimbursed for their services, regardless of the individual's choice of residential setting. However, your Committees also note the concerns of DHS and DOH about the proper language to be used in the measure.

After careful consideration, your Committees have amended the bill by:

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1055, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1055, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.