STAND. COM. REP. NO. 383

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1189

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1189 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to assist grandparents who provide care for and raise their grandchildren.

     Specifically, this measure makes an appropriation of $24,000, for the Executive Office on Aging to assess the issues facing grandparents raising their grandchildren in Hawaii and their needs.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Health, two representative of Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Kokua Council and five individuals.

     Your Committee finds that a growing number of grandparents are primary caregivers for their grandchildren.

     Your Committee further finds that the State lacks adequate data to formulate policies that would better support grandparent caregivers.  This data is vital to ensure proper programming and assistance is made available and that the State collects reliable data with which to obtain a fair share of federal funding.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1189 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair