STAND. COM. REP. NO. 181

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1691

       S.D. 1

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. 1691 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELDER ABUSE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to amend the definition of "caregiver" under section 28‑94, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to include compensated or uncompensated family members or other relatives.

     Child and Family Service submitted testimony in support of this measure.

     Your Committee finds that many of our elders who are aging-in-place are often assisted by family members or other relatives.  However, this measure recognizes that elder abuse can occur in any setting and ensures that elder abuse in any setting is penalized.

     It is the Committee's intent to encourage further discussion of this issue.  Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 1691, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1691, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair