STAND. COM. REP. NO.  673

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 120

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 120, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect the health and safety of the public by enhancing public access to information collected by the Department of Health and Department of Human Services regarding certain care facilities while preserving the rights of these care facilities.  Specifically, this bill:

     (1)  Allows the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services to post information concerning major patient care violations at certain care facilities on their respective websites;

     (2)  Specifies that the major patient care violation order must be final before the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services may post information concerning the major patient care violation;

     (3)  Stipulates what information shall be posted on the respective department's website; and

     (4)  Defines "major patient care violation".

The Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Alliance of Residential Care Administrators, Adult Foster Homes of the Pacific, Adult Foster Home Association of Big Island, and numerous concerned individuals testified in opposition to this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Executive Office on Aging, Adult Foster Homecare Association of Hawaii, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, ILWU Local 142, and numerous concerned individuals provided comments.  

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 120, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair