STAND. COM. REP. NO. 919

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 820

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 820 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to continue the planning and implementation of services and residential alternatives for persons with developmental disabilities or mental retardation.

     Comments in support of this measure were received from the Disability and Communication Access Board, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and State Council on Developmental Disabilities.

     Your Committee finds that people with developmental disabilities or mental retardation are allowed to choose where they live in the community, but that there is a lack of sufficient infrastructure to house them.

Your Committee finds that this measure will help that segment of the population to find residential alternatives so they may live in the least restrictive, individually appropriate environment.

     Your Committee has amended this measure to clarify the type and number of reports the Legislature requires from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities and to require a report twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2009.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 820, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 820, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair