STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2902

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2586

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2586, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CARE FACILITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to protect care facility patients and authorize the investigation of unlicensed care facilities.

 

     More specifically, the measure:

 

     (1)  Authorizes the Department of Health to investigate care facilities reported to be operating without an appropriate certificate or license issued by the Department;

 

     (2)  Prohibits patient referrals and transfers to uncertified and unlicensed care facilities; and

 

     (3)  Establishes penalties for violations.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, State Long Term Care Ombudsman, and four individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from Maile Case Management and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from AARP Hawaii and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that there is a small but growing number of unlicensed care facilities operating in the State and that it is necessary to prohibit the transfer of patients to, and authorize the investigation of, those unlicensed facilities.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

 

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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 S.B. No. 2586, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2586, S.D. 2.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair