STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2766

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2320

       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. 2320, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to build a statewide system of support for Hawaii's older adults and their family caregivers.

Specifically, this measure appropriates funds to:

     (1)  The Kupuna Care Program;

     (2)  Catholic Charities for the Lanakila Multi-purpose Senior Center, Moiliili Senior Center, and Waikiki Community Center;

     (3)  The Healthy Aging Partnership Program; and

     (4)  Establish a wanderer's registry to protect individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by the Department of Community Services, City and County of Honolulu; Hawaii County Office of Aging; Catholic Charities of Hawaii; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans; Project Dana; Kau Rural Health Community Association Incorporated; Health Aging Partnership; and fifty-six individuals.  Written comments were submitted by the Executive Office on Aging and Maui County Office on Aging.

     Your Committee finds that the Kupuna Care Program has provided essential services to the State's elderly population since 1999 and is the State's only state funded home and community-based services program for older adults who do not qualify for other government or private assistance programs.  Your Committee further finds that providing appropriations to the Kupuna Care Program and programs like it will benefit the community by enabling these programs to maintain services to the elderly population of the State.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Statutorily establishing the Kupuna Care Program within the Executive Office on Aging to provide affordable and quality home- and community-based services for adults sixty years of age and older and their family caregivers;

     (2)  Changing the appropriations to unspecified sums to promote further discussion of this measure; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style, clarity, 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. 2320, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2320, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair