STAND. COM. REP. NO.  497-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2676

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2676 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to restore staff positions within the Department of Human Services on the islands of Maui, Lanai, and Molokai that were eliminated by budget reductions during the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Several concerned individuals supported the measure.  A concerned individual supported the measure with amendments.  The Department of Human Services offered comments on the measure.

     Your Committee notes that the Department of Human Services asked for support from the Legislature in its $5,800,000 line item request that includes positional funding in the Executive Supplemental Budget submitted by the Governor.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding the contents of H.B. No. 2674 that appropriates funds for six full-time Medicaid eligibility workers;

     (2)  Appropriating funds for an unspecified amount of physician positions that are essential and critical in serving the needs of Medicaid patients;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

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

     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 H.B. No. 2676, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2676, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair