STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1677

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 415

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 415, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOME CARE AGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to help protect consumers who purchase home care services by requiring the Department of Health (DOH) to adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to:

     (1)  Protect the health, safety, and civil rights of clients of home care agencies; and

     (2)  Provide for the licensure of home care agencies.

     The Elderly Affairs Division of the Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, and Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported this bill.  The Department of Human Services, DOH, and Healthcare Association of Hawaii provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 415, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 415, S.D. 2, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair