STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1992

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 582

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 582, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish or amend various laws relating to the care of the elderly and disabled in state-licensed care facilities.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Extends laws relating to site visits and licensing of adult residential care homes to adult day care centers;

(2) Extends the penalties for unlicensed operations of adult residential care homes and hospice homes to community-based foster family homes, adult foster homes, and adult day care centers;

(3) Requires the University of Hawaii or a neutral third party to post vacancy information on state-licensed care facilities on its website to facilitate the referral and placement of individuals;

(4) Establishes a caregiver and case manager compensation task force within the Department of Health to examine issues relating to compensation and insurance reimbursement;

(5) Provide timeframes for the Department of Health's decisions on applications for certificates of approval to operate community care foster family homes; and

(6) Preserves the current organization of laws relating to site visits and licensing of adult residential care homes.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Health, United Group of Home Operators, Adult Foster Homecare Association of Hawaii, Big Island Adult Residential Carehome, and several individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that this measure will protect the welfare of the elderly and disabled clients in state-licensed care facilities while providing financial relief to their caregivers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that participation on the task force by representatives from care home case managers and from care home facility organizations or operations is voluntary;

(2) Correcting the name of the developmental disabilities council to "State Council on Developmental Disabilities;"

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

(4) 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 H.B. No. 582, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 582, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

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

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair