STAND. COM. REP. NO.  657-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2581

      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 Human Services & Housing and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2581 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize issuance of special license plates to be issued to vehicles registered in the name of long-term care facilities to enable those vehicles to park in handicapped parking stalls while transporting disabled patients of the long-term care facility.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by thirty-one community members.  The Disability and Communication Access Board and one individual opposed the measure.

     Your Committees find that vehicles registered in the name of long-term care facilities often transport disabled individuals who are patients of the long-term care facility.  Authorizing these vehicles to park in designated accessible parking spaces would allow disabled individuals to remain in contact with their workers and facilitate their transportation.

     Upon consideration, your Committees have amended the bill by replacing its contents with new provisions that create a loan guarantee program to fund an owner's repair and renovation of a home and community based services care home or a long-term care home facility.  As amended, the bill:

     (1)  Creates the home and community based services care home and long-term care home facility repair and renovation loan guarantee program to be administratively placed within the Department of Human Services;

     (2)  Establishes the home and community based services care home and long-term care home facility repair and renovation loan guarantee revolving fund;

     (3)  Defines "home and community based services"; "home and community based services care home", and "long-term care home facility";

     (4)  Requires the Director of Health to certify that a loan applicant's construction plans meet the appropriate licensing standards of the Department of Health;

     (5)  Appropriates funds for loan guarantees; and

     (6)  Takes effect on July 1, 2050 to facilitate further discussion on this issue.

     Your Committees urge that this measure be re-referred to the legislative committees that have jurisdiction over the subject matter of this measure, as amended.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2581, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2581, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Transportation.

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

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

____________________________ MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair