STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1474

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 1916

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Legislative Management, to which was referred S.B. No. 1916, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the health and long-term care system by strengthening support for family caregivers.  This bill:

(1)  Extends the life of the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving (Joint Committee) for one year to June 30, 2008;

(2)  Directs the Joint Committee to consider a paid family leave program under the temporary disability insurance law to provide wage replacement benefits to employees who serve as caregivers;

(3)  Expands the definition of "family caregiver" to include persons with no blood relationship with the care recipient as well as grandparents who serve as caregivers to their grandchildren;

(4)  Directs the Executive Office on Aging to conduct a needs assessment of the needs of care recipients as well as their family caregivers;

(5)  Appropriates funds to expand the Kupuna Care Program's in-home and access services and for direct services to family caregivers; and

(6)  Appropriates funds to assess the needs of grandparents raising grandchildren.

     The Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu, County of Hawaii Office of Aging, Honolulu Committee on Aging, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Child and Family Service, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, ILWU Local 142, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Kokua Council, Alzheimer's Association-Aloha Chapter, and numerous concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Health offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the expending agency for the needs assessment relating to grandparents from the Executive Office on Aging to the Senate and House of Representatives; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Legislative Management that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1916, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1916, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Legislative Management,

____________________________

MICHAEL Y. MAGAOAY, Chair