STAND. COM. REP. NO.  13-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2196

      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. 2196 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to support the work of the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving (JLCFC) to ensure the necessary community resources for caregivers by:

(1)  Extending the term of JLCFC to June 30, 2009, to allow it more time to complete its mission;

(2)  Changing JLCFC's name to the Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place (JLCAP);

(3)  Expanding JLCAP's mandate to include aging in place issues related to family caregiving;

(4)  Requiring Hawaii's Aging and Disability Resource Center to report to the JLCAP on implementation of its physical site in Hawaii County and its virtual site in the City and County of Honolulu;

(5)  Requiring JLCAP to conduct a cash and counseling project for non-Medicaid eligible elders;

(6)  Appropriating funds to JLCAP;

(7)  Allowing the Executive Office on Aging's Kupuna Care Program to include overnight, weekend, and emergency respite services, as well as provide grants to caregivers and for home modification; and

(8)  Increasing the operating budget of the Executive Office on Aging to increase program funding for the Kupuna Care Program.

     The City and County of Honolulu Elderly Affairs Division, ILWU Local 142, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hana Health, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, Kokua Council, National Multiple Sclerosis - Society All American Chapter – Hawaii Division, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, AARP Hawaii, and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Executive Office on Aging supported the intent of this measure.  The Attorney General and the National Federation of Independent Business submitted comments.

     Your Committees find that there should be more input from persons representing disabled people in the community as JLCAP continues to look further into the needs of caregivers.

     Your Committees also acknowledge the concerns of the Attorney General (AG) regarding JLCAP conducting a cash and counseling project and the AG's suggestion that a state agency may be a more suitable choice for this responsibility.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; 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. 2196, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2196, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Legislative Management.

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