STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2823

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2004

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2004 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOME CARE LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend to June 30, 2019, the repeal date of Act 21, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, which requires home care agencies to be licensed by the Department of Health.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.  Written comments on this measure were received from the Environmental Health Administration of the Department of Health.

     Your Committee finds that home care agencies are a critical component of elderly care because the overwhelming majority of the increasing elderly population prefer to age in their own homes.  Act 21, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, was enacted to protect the consumers of home care agencies, by requiring the licensing of these agencies to ensure that minimum standards are met.  However, the licensing program has not yet commenced pending the adoption of administrative rules that are in the final stage of the approval process.  Your Committee finds that extending the repeal date of Act 21, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, would allow the home care licensing program additional time to adopt rules and begin operation.

     Your Committee also finds that funding is necessary for a full-time equivalent permanent position in the Department of Health to facilitate the licensing of home care agencies in compliance with Act 21, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a purpose section;

     (2)  Adding an unspecified appropriation to the Department of Health for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) permanent position within the Department of Health to facilitate the licensing of home care agencies; and

     (3)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2014, to June 29, 2050, and for the appropriation section, adding an effective date of July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     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. 2004, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2004, S.D. 1.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair