STAND. COM. REP. NO.  548

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1567

      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 Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1567 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage the establishment of skilled nursing facilities by making each new skilled nursing facility that begins or expands its operations outside an enterprise zone (EZ) eligible to receive all benefits provided to qualified businesses located within the EZ.

     Avalon Health Care supported this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism opposed this measure.  The Department of Taxation commented on this bill.

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii must find ways to increase the number of skilled nursing facilities that are available to our aging residents.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by making a skilled nursing facility located within an EZ, eligible for tax and other benefits under the EZ program.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1567, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1567, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair