STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1081

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 199

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 199, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to include physical isolation as a form of abuse, allegations of which the Department of Human Services is authorized to investigate and instances for which the Department may take corrective action, including obtaining judicial relief.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Police Department, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committee finds that unnecessarily denying a person the ability to communicate and interact with others has damaging effects on the well-being of an individual.  Oftentimes, physical isolation is used to conceal abuse or to prevent vulnerable adults access to critical support services.  While state laws and various agencies and services protect vulnerable adults, adding physical isolation as a form of abuse and neglect that the Department of Human Services can investigate will further protect these dependent adults and ensure their protection against such acts.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 199, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 199, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

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

________________________________

JOSH GREEN, Chair