STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3496

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1878

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1878, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address programs related to the care of the elderly and disabled.

     More specifically, this measure appropriates funds for:

     (1)  The kupuna care program;

     (2)  The aging and disability resource center;

     (3)  The long-term care ombudsman program;

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

     (5)  The healthy aging partnership program;

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

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

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the State of Hawaii Executive Office on Aging, AARP Hawaii, the Alzheimer's Association Aloha Chapter, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Child and Family Service, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Lanakila Pacific, the Policy Board for Elderly Affairs, Project Dana, the Queen's Health Systems, and ten individuals.

     Your Committee finds that this measure appropriates moneys for critical programs and services that directly serve the elderly population in the State or ensure the quality of those services.  These programs and services protect the elderly from injury and neglect, and assist them and their caregivers is a wide variety of important ways.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that there are multiple aging and disability resource centers in the State operated by the area agencies on aging in each county, and that the Executive Office of Aging shall ensure that referrals and services are properly provided and staff are appropriately trained and responsive to needs; and

     (2)  Requiring the Executive Office on Aging to develop a system of evaluation for the aging and disability resource centers in each county to ensure alignment with federal guidelines and submit a report to the 2017 Legislature.

     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 H.B. No. 1878, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1878, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair