STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2831

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 3255

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3255, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a long-term care commission to research what resources are necessary to meet state long-term care public policy goals and to recommend a program and funding mechanism that may provide long-term care services in the State.

     Specifically, this measure designates members of the commission and sets their terms of office and requires the commission to:

     (1)  Review available research, studies, and previously proposed programs;

     (2)  Establish a purpose statement;

     (3)  Prepare a five-year plan to accomplish the goals, including the recommendation of benchmarks;

     (4)  Monitor federal legislation for changes that may impact the program;

     (5)  Collaborate with interested stakeholders; and

     (6)  Submit an interim report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2009 regular session, and a final report to the legislature no later than July 31, 2010.

The measure also appropriates funds to support the work of the long-term care commission.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, American Association of Retired Persons, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, and Kokua Council/Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs.  The State Procurement Office submitted testimony in opposition.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure to:

(1)  Require that the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Social Sciences Public Policy Center provide administrative support and staffing to facilitate the work of the long-term care commission;

(2)  Change the expending agency from the Senate and the House of Representatives to the University of Hawaii;

(3)  Change the amount of the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

(4)  Make technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3255, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3255, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair