THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2796
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE POLICY ADVISORY BOARD FOR ELDER AFFAIRS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the policy advisory board for elder affairs includes nine ex officio members who are appointed to the board by virtue of the office they hold as heads of certain state agencies, and it is their office that entitles them to be appointed, unlike other selected members of the board who have eligibility requirements based on their interests and knowledge. The ex officio members are voting members and that has sometimes created difficulties because the ex officio members or their designated surrogates may not be as familiar with problems and solutions related to aging as the other members. Often the ex officio members or their designated surrogates have workloads within their assigned departments that prevent them from devoting the time or energy to learning current issues related to aging or that prevent them from attending all twelve meetings of the board each year. Additionally, ex officio members or their designated surrogates are often younger than the age of sixty, which is problematic because a majority of the board is required to be over sixty years old.

The purpose of this Act is to amend section 349-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to change the composition of the board by decreasing the number of members, specifying that ex officio members are non-voting members, and revising the list of State agencies that provide representatives to serve as ex officio members.

SECTION 2. Section 349-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) There shall be a policy advisory board for elder affairs, appointed by the governor under section 26-34. The board shall advise the director in, but not limited to, the following areas:

(1) The identification of issues and alternative approaches to solutions;

(2) The development of position statements and papers;

(3) Advocacy and legislative actions; and

(4) Program development and operations.

The board shall consist of not less than [twenty-one] fifteen nor more than [twenty-nine] twenty-one members, a majority of whom are over sixty years of age and who shall be selected on the basis of their interests and knowledge in and their ability to make contributions to the solution of problems relating to aging, and shall include at least one member from the county of Hawaii, one member from the county of Maui, one member from the county of Kauai, and one member from the city and county of Honolulu. There [shall] may be [nine] up to ten members who shall serve as non-voting ex officio members and shall [be chosen from among] consist of the heads of the following state agencies which provide services or programs affecting elders: health, human services, education, labor and industrial relations, commerce and consumer affairs, University of Hawaii, transportation, the state retirement system, [the office of consumer protection,] and, by invitation, the Hawaii [representative] representatives of the [[]United States Department of Health and Human Services[].], and the Social Security Administration. Ex officio members may delegate their board responsibilities to another member of their agency. Of the non ex officio members, one-third of the members shall be appointed for the term of four years, one-third for the term of three years, and one-third for the term of two years; and thereafter the terms of office of each member shall be four years. The members shall serve without compensation, but shall be paid their necessary expenses in attending meetings and carrying out the responsibilities of the board. The chairperson shall be elected annually from the nongovernmental members of the board. There shall be not less than twelve meetings of the board each year."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________
	BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs; Quorum

Description:

Decreases the number of members appointed to the Policy Advisory Board of Elder Affairs. Specifies that ex officio members are non-voting members. Revises the list of State agencies that provide representatives to serve as ex officio members.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.