STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1908

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1184

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 3

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1184, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

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

     The Disability and Communication Access Board, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and Kokua Council supported this bill.  The National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Chapter, and AARP Hawaii supported this bill with amendments.  The Department of Human Services (DHS) opposed this measure.  The Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, and a concerned individual submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requiring DHS to:

          (A)  Work with interested stakeholders to develop a plan to build the capacity of community-based services to help with the provision of services under this Act;

          (B)  Examine the child welfare services model and research best practices regarding elder abuse to develop a risk matrix;

          (C)  Expand its data collection efforts, including specific data regarding persons served and persons denied service by adult protective services and certain other related data; and

          (D)  Submit reports to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008, and each Regular Session thereafter;

          and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1184, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1184, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair