STAND. COM. REP. NO.  203-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2520

      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. 2520 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the ability of employees who need time off from work to care for a family member with a serious health condition without the threat of encountering financial hardships by amending the Temporary Disability Insurance Law established under Chapter 392, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to permit an eligible employee to collect up to four weeks of temporary disability insurance benefit payments to care for a family member with a physical or mental condition that warrants the participation of the employee to provide care during the period of treatment or supervision by a health care provider, and:

     (1)  Involves inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential health care facility; or

     (2)  Requires continuing treatment or continuing supervision by a health care provider.

     The Policy Advisory Board of Elder Affairs, Teamsters Local 996, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Hana Health, National Multiple Sclerosis Society All American Chapter – Hawaii Division, and numerous concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Kokua Council and Hawaii Government Employees Association supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaiian Electric Company, Hawaii Electric Light Company, Maui Electric Company, SHRM Hawaii, National Federation of Independent Businesses in Hawaii, and Hawaii Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii opposed this bill.

     Your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1)  Providing for an eligible employee to collect up to two weeks of temporary disability insurance benefit payments to care for a family member; 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. 2520, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2520, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Labor & Public Employment.

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