STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2090

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2049

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2049 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a Vocational Rehabilitation Division within the Department of Human Services and place services for the blind or deaf under this new division.

     The measure also requires the Department of Human Services to develop a strategic plan to restructure its services to the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and deaf-blind persons through a comprehensive service center.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Disability and Communication Access Board, The Arc of Kona, and one individual.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services. Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that to avoid a issue regarding the separation of powers doctrine, instead of attempting to create a Vocational Rehabilitation Division within the Department of Human Services, it would be prudent to include wording that only allows for the deaf or the blind to obtain rehabilitation and vocational services under the Department of Human Services.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended the measure by deleting the language that establishes a new division.  Your Committee has also made technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of style and clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2049, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2049, 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,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair