STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3297

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 81

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Education and Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 81 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE HOW THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAN MAXIMIZE MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERED TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS DURING SCHOOL HOURS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the establishment of a working group to examine how the Department of Education can maximize Medicaid reimbursement for support services offered to eligible students during school hours.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii State Teachers Association, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Hawaii Disability Rights Center.

Your Committees find that the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state laws require the Department of Education to provide a free appropriate public education, which includes a continuum of services, to students who are eligible for special education and related services. Special education may include but is not limited to academic services, speech-language services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, counseling services, and parent education, all at no cost to parents. Because of how critical it is for all students to receive a quality public education, a review of the Department of Education's effectiveness and efficiency in maximizing Medicaid reimbursements for support services to eligible students is necessary.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the working group have the Deputy representative of the Department of the Attorney General represent the Department of Education, rather than the Department of Health;

(2) Expanding the membership of the working group to include other persons as may be invited by the working group;

(3) Clarifying that the working group convene by, rather than on, August 1, 2018;

(4) Specifying that the agenda at the first convening of the working group include an update on Medicaid billing; and

(5) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 81, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 81, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Human Services,

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair