STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2953

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1878

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1878, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for:

     (1)  The kupuna care program;

     (2)  The aging and disability resource center;

     (3)  Fall prevention and early detection services for the elderly;

     (4)  The healthy aging partnership program;

     (5)  An Alzheimer's disease and related dementia services coordinator position; and

     (6)  An Alzheimer's disease and related dementia public awareness campaign.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Agency on Elderly Affairs, County of Kauai; AARP Hawaii; Alzheimer's Association; Catholic Charities Hawaii; Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition; Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Lanakila Pacific; Pacific Advisory Board for Elderly Affairs Legislative Committee; Project Dana; The Queen's Health Systems; Zonta Club of Hilo; and eleven individuals.

     Your Committees find that the programs affected by this measure ensure the quality of services provided to the State's elderly population or provide necessary services directly to the State's elderly population.  Your Committees also find that the monies appropriated in this measure are necessary for these programs to be effective and note their support for the Governor's budget for the kupuna care program and the aging and disability resource center.

     Your Committees have heard the testimony stating that the long-term care ombudsman program needs additional staff to monitor the quality of long term care in the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii and believes that amendments to this measure should be made to incorporate an appropriation for this purpose.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the description of the aging and disability resource center in section 3;

     (2)  Adding an appropriation for the long-term care ombudsman program to establish three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) staff positions to monitor the quality of long term care in the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1878, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1878, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair