STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3452

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 149

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 149 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII CENTER ON AGING TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW IN-HOME CARE SERVICES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the University of Hawaii Center on Aging to convene a working group to review the provision of in-home care services in Hawaii, make recommendations that will improve the quality of care, and include its review and recommendations in a report to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the ILWU Local 142, AARP Hawai‘i, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Caring Across Generations, Kupuna Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Advocates for Consumer Rights, Faith Action for Community Equity, and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and University of Hawai‘i System.

Your Committee finds that by 2020, nearly three hundred thousand people in Hawaii will be age sixty-five or older. Your Committee also finds that most individuals who require assistance with daily activities prefer to receive care at home. Your Committee further finds that home care workers provide care for clients with highly complex needs which may require specialized training or certification to treat properly. Accordingly, your Committee finds that the State would benefit from a working group to review the provision of in-home care services in the State and make recommendations to improve the quality of care.

Your Committee has heard concerns of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations that this measure does not fall within their purview, nor does the Department collect much of the information requested. However, your Committee finds that the Department does collect some relevant information and may have some relevant expertise and therefore should be represented in the working group. Your Committee further finds that the Executive Office on Aging is an appropriate agency to supply a representative to co-chair the requested working group.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing as a co-chair of the working group the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations' representative with a representative of the Executive Office on Aging;

(2) Requesting representatives of the Departments of Labor and Industrial Relations and Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to serve as members of the group;

(3) Amending its title to reflect its amended purpose; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 149, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 149, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair