STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2763

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2306

       S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2306, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a long-term care task force and to establish the position of the Deputy Healthcare Transformation Coordinator.

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by the Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, and United Self Help.  Written comments were submitted by the Governor's Policy Office.

     Your Committee finds that the fragmentation of the long-term care system is a major problem and that consolidating services into one department or division would streamline the long-term health care system.  The task force created by this measure is required to determine the feasibility of consolidating existing state functions and funds relating to long-term care programs and services under a single executive department or division.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Deputy Healthcare Transformation Coordinator shall serve as chairperson of the task force;

     (2)  Clarifying that private citizen representatives are requested to serve as a representative on the task force, rather than mandated;

     (3)  Specifying that the representative from the med-QUEST Division of the Department of Human Services shall be selected by the Director of Human Services;

     (4)  Clarifying that the Deputy Healthcare Transformation Coordinator holds a position that is exempt from civil service and collective bargaining laws;

     (5)  Deleting the reference to the Long-Term Care Commission, as a party that nominates the Deputy Healthcare Transformation Coordinator, since the Long-Term Care Commission is scheduled to be abolished at the end of the 2012 Regular Session; and

     (6)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, style, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2306, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2306, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair