STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2023

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2286

       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. 2286 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to extend the sunset of the Long Term Care Commission and its reporting deadlines to the Legislature.

     Testimony in support of this measure was given by Hawaii Pacific Health, the Policy Advisory Board of Elder Affairs, and the Long Term Care Commission.

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     In enacting Act 224, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, the Legislature recognized that as Hawaii's population ages, the number of frail and disabled individuals will also increase, placing a precipitous demand on the need for long term care services, as well as significant cost pressures on the state budget.  The Legislature established the Long Term Care Commission to identify needed reforms to the long term care system, research program changes and resources necessary to meet the State's long term care public policy goals, and explore an array of funding options that may help support the provision of long term care services in the future.

     Your Committee finds that although, the appropriation authorized by Act 224 was never released, the Long Term Care Commission was not deterred from its mission.  Rather, it secured funds from non-state government sources and after a nation-wide search, selected a nationally-eminent expert on long term care to assist with the project.  These research activities are underway and it is critical that they be completed to provide the factual basis for Hawaii's long term care plan.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making clarifying amendments to its purpose section relating to the description of the funding history of Act 224.

     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. 2286, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2286, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair