STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1003-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 149

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 149, S.D. 2, 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 the Department of Human Services for necessary long-term care services for aging and disabled individuals on Medicaid.  The Department of Human Services would then transfer the funds to be expended by the Executive Office on Aging.

The Elderly Affairs Division of the City and County of Honolulu; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; PHOCUSED; Americans for Democratic Action, Hawaii; Community Alliance for Mental Health; United Self Help; Lanakila Pacific; Policy Advisory Board for Elderly Affairs; AARP; and a concerned individual provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Executive Office on Aging, Maui County Office on Aging, Child and Family Service, and Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Clarifying that the appropriated funds will enable aging and disabled individuals on Medicaid in the City and County of Honolulu to continue to receive appropriate long-term care services;

(2)  Specifying that the funds will be appropriated to the Department of Human Services, who would then transfer the funds to the Elderly Affairs Division of the City and County of Honolulu instead of the Executive Office on Aging;

(3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2080, to encourage further discussion; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of 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 S.B. No. 149, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 149, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair