STAND. COM. REP. NO.  81-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2112

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2112 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TASK FORCE ON AGING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

          The purpose of this bill is to increase access to services needed by the rapidly growing population of older adults by establishing a task force on aging to study and develop preliminary plans for the consolidation of publicly-funded programs and services that would appropriately fall within the jurisdiction of a new department of aging.

     The Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, ILWU Local 142, and a concerned individual supported this bill.  The University of Hawaii at Manoa and AARP supported the intent of this measure.  The Executive Office on Aging opposed this bill.

     Your Committees recognize the increasing need for an efficient delivery system of services for older adults in the face of this populations growing numbers.  A task force on aging would provide the Legislature with valuable information to assist in creating effective policies to meet the needs of Hawaii's older adults.  However, the time period allotted to the task force may not be sufficient and should be evaluated further as this bill continues through the legislative process.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1)  Including the Director of the Executive Office on Aging or the Director's designee as a member of the task force on aging; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services & Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2112, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2112, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair

____________________________ JOSHUA B. GREEN, M.D., Chair