STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2270

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2066

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2066 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR SENIOR CENTERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding for senior centers, which will enable seniors to participate in activities to help them remain active, healthy, and independent in their communities.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; Moiliili Community Center Senior Center; National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, Hawaii State Federation of Chapters; and twenty-seven individuals.

     Your Committee finds that supportive relationships, interactions with the environment, and engaging in social activities are positively correlated with the well-being of older adults.  Senior centers provide vital health education and screening, fitness, recreation, case management, and other services that enable thousands of seniors to maintain wellness, support independence, and avoid expensive institutional care.

     Your Committee strongly urges the Department of Health to consider including the senior center funding in its base budget request as this appropriation has been a consistent annual request.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation amount to Catholic Charities Hawaii for the Lanakila Multi-purpose Senior Center to $150,000.

     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. 2066, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2066, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair