STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2336

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2603

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, Health, and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2603 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VETERANS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the shortage of long-term care beds and services available to qualified veterans by authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriating funds, contingent upon the receipt of federal funds, for the construction of a one hundred seventy-three bed long-term care facility for veterans.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense State Civil Defense Division, State Office of Veterans Services, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Oahu Region, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and four individuals.

     Your Committees find that there is an increasing need for long-term care resources and services for our veterans.  The State's veteran population is expected to continue to grow with the drawdown of troops in Iraq, the forthcoming pullout from Afghanistan, and more military members attaining veteran status.  Even with the success of the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo, a second facility is needed to address the serious shortfall of long-term care beds for veterans.  This measure authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriates funds for the construction of a second long-term care facility that will greatly expand access to quality long-term care for Hawaii's veterans.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, Health, and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2603 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, Health, and Human Services,

____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair	____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair
	____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair