STAND. COM. REP. NO. 610

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 427

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 427, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the state supplemental payments for certain domiciliary care and require a portion of the payment to be retained by the recipient for personal use.

     The Department of Human Services, Mental Health America of Hawaii, and one individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The National Association of Social Workers and fourteen individuals submitted testimony in support of the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Coalition of Care Home Administrators submitted testimony in opposition to this measure.

     This measure will ensure a personal needs allowance for individuals living in nursing facilities and individuals living in domiciliary care, type I and type II, and community care foster family homes.  The measure will also raise the personal needs allowance from $30 to $50 per month per person.  Your Committee finds that this measure will substantially improve the quality of life for adult residential care home residents and ensure that a fair portion of the state supplemental payments are allocated for their unique personal needs.  Some of the testifiers suggested that there be a cost of living allowance inflation rate.  Your Committee defers to the Committee on Ways and Means to consider this issue.

     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. 427, S.D. 1, and recommends that it 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