STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1762

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 81

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.C.R. No. 81 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A FINANCIAL AND PROGRAM AUDIT OF HAWAII'S INDEPENDENT LIVING CENTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a financial and program audit of the Hawaii Centers for Independent Living.

     Comments in support of the measure were received from:  the Disability and Communication Access Board, Department of Health; the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Advisory Board, Department of Human Services; and a number of private citizens.  Comments were received from the Hawaii Centers for Independent Living.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Centers for Independent Living receives federal and state funding in order to provide certain core required minimum services to individuals with disabilities.  These core services are information and referral, independent living skills training, peer counseling, and advocacy.  The services are intended to maximize the independence of these persons and to promote their integration into the mainstream of American society.

     Your Committee, however, finds that there appears to be mounting evidence that individuals with disabilities are not receiving the expected and necessary core independent living services.  Your Committee is deeply concerned about this situation and finds that this Concurrent Resolution is an important first step toward resolving the issue.

     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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 81 and recommends its adoption.

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

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair