STAND. COM. REP. NO.  703

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 811

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 811 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADULT PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect elders from abuse and financial and economic exploitation by strengthening and clarifying the laws on adult protective services.

     The City and County of Honolulu Department of Community Services Elderly Affairs Division, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Child and Family Service, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and a concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Human Services and American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Disability and Communication Access Board, Hawaii Centers for Independent Living, and a concerned individual provided comments.

     Your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Judiciary to review concerns regarding the possibility of this measure being age discriminatory and whether loopholes in Hawaii's Medical Use of Marijuana Program still remain in this bill as amended.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Amending the definition of "primary caregiver" in the Medical Use of Marijuana law;

     (2)  Removing the definition of "elder"; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 811, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 811, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Housing,

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair