STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3312

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.R. No. 51

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 Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Labor, to which was referred S.R. No. 51 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON AGING TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON THE IMPACTS OF AN AGING POPULATION IN HAWAII,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Executive Office on Aging to conduct a study and prepare a report on the impacts of an aging population in Hawaii.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the 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 Executive Office on Aging.

Your Committees find that Hawaii has the highest life expectancy in the United States for those over sixty-five years of age. Your Committees further find that the State has unfunded pension and health benefit liabilities totaling nearly $24,000,000,000 and that Hawaii needs to make plans and set policies to ensure that the State is prepared for a large aging population.

Your Committees have heard the concerns of an individual testifier that the potential closure of Leahi and Maluhia Hospitals will only reduce resources available to the aging population. Your Committees note that the closure of those hospitals will increase the burdens on other care providers, and that alternatives may need to be considered. Your Committees also find that an aging population is likely to require additional long-term care services and bed space.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting that the Executive Office on Aging's report also include an assessment of the availability of long-term care services and bed space in Hawaii; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Labor that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 51, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 51, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair