SB926

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that older adults, the population of persons sixty years of age and older, make up a larger proportion of Hawaii residents than ever before. In 1980, older adults comprised twelve per cent of the State's total population. In 2000, the population nearly doubled, with over two hundred seven thousand older adults comprising seventeen per cent of Hawaii's total population. This trend is expected to continue. By the year 2020, persons aged sixty and older will constitute nearly one-third, or thirty per cent, of Hawaii's adult population. Moreover, the number of persons who are eighty-five years of age and older is projected to continue to increase dramatically, from 5,561 in 1980 to 33,800 in 2020.

The legislature further finds that the array of publicly-funded programs and services that serve the older population in the areas of health care, disability services, insurance, long-term care, caregiver support, medicaid, medicare, and institutional and community-based adult care, for example, can be challenging for care recipients, caregivers, and families to navigate. These programs and services help to meet the multi-faceted needs of older adults and are provided by various county, state, federal, private, and not-for-profit entities. As a central agency, the executive office on aging already coordinates programs and services available to Hawaii's older population; however, the scope and magnitude of issues facing the elderly necessitates department level attention. A departmental agency could better focus resources and personnel to address the multi-faceted needs of Hawaii's older population.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a task force on aging to plan for the consolidation of publicly-funded programs and services that would appropriately fall within the jurisdiction of a new department of aging.

SECTION 2. There is established a task force to be known as the task force on the department of aging, which shall be responsible for determining the services and programs that shall be under the jurisdiction of a new department of aging. The task force shall be placed within the executive office on aging and shall cease to exist after July 1, 2008.

The executive office on aging and, if necessary, the department of health shall provide administrative, technical, and clerical support to the task force.

SECTION 3. The task force shall consist of eleven members, nine of whom shall be appointed, without regard to section 26-34, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as follows:

(1) Three by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(2) Three by the president of the senate; and

(3) Three by the governor.

The tenth member of the task force shall be the executive director of the executive office on aging. The eleventh member of the task force shall be a representative of the Hawaii chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons. The speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the governor shall select a task force member from each of the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors respectively.

The chair of the task force shall be the executive director of the executive office on aging. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The members shall not receive compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties under this Act. Any member of the task force shall be immune from civil liability, as provided for under section 26-35.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

SECTION 4. The task force shall gather input from Hawaii's aging network regarding programs and services that would appropriately fall within the jurisdiction of a new department of aging and shall submit its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, if necessary, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008. The written report shall include an accounting of all moneys expended. The executive office on aging shall assist the task force in preparing the report. The task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2008.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, to be used by the task force on aging for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the executive office on aging for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	926
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII