STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2074

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2290

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2290 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ADVOCACY SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Governor to appoint two members from lists of nominees prepared by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the governing board of the State's Advocacy System for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two individuals.  Testimony supporting the intent of this measure was submitted by the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.  Comments on the measure were submitted by the Hawaii Disability Rights Center.  Oral comments were given by the Department of Human Services to the effect that the Department appreciated the intent of the measure, but did not agree with the provision that the Governor's two appointments be limited to nominee lists prepared by the Legislature.

     Your Committee finds that the comments provided by the Department of Human Services have merit.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Eliminating the provision that the Governor make the two nominations to the Advocacy System from lists prepared by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2290, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2290, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair