Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.R. No. 68 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure the maintenance of the current standard in rehabilitation services for the blind.

Your Committee received testimony in support of the measure from the Department of Human Services, the Hawaii Centers for Independent Living, the East Honolulu Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that both blind and deaf people require specialized rehabilitation and vocational services in order to obtain meaningful employment.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure to also request the maintenance of current standards in rehabilitation services for the deaf.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 68, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 68, S.D. 1.