STAND. COM. REP. NO. 415

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 820

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 820 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the law that requires the Department of Health to provide community residential alternatives for persons with developmental disabilities or mental retardation in a setting of the person's choice; provided that certain conditions are met.

     The measure accomplishes this purpose by extending the repeal date of Act 303, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, from June 30, 2008, to June 30, 2009, in order to extend the repeal date of amendments made to section 333F-2(c)(9), Hawaii Revised Statutes, and to provide the Department of Health (DOH), State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) with more time to complete a report required under that Act.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the DOH, SCDD, and Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

     Your Committees support the right of the developmentally disabled and mentally retarded to live in residences of their own choice.  However, your Committees also understand that providing a framework under which such a program is to be administered is a daunting task.  To this end, Act 303, Session Laws of Hawaii 2006, relating to developmental disabilities, required the SCDD to submit a preliminary report to the Legislature for the 2007 Regular Session.  Due to the complex nature of this issue, the SCDD was unable to complete that report, and Act 303 sunsets on June 30, 2008.  This measure would extend the reporting date and the sunset by one year.

     Your Committees find that, due to the complexities of the issues involved, including federal mandates, the extension of the time period Act 303 remains in force is necessary to adequately examine the issues and obtain consensus among stakeholders.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services and Public Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 820 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair