STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1603

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 242

S.D. 2

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 242, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the State's Medicaid program to provide coverage for home- and community-based services for persons diagnosed with Autism or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; and

(2) Establish a task force to study issues relating to the accessibility and utilization of essential services by the State's developmentally and intellectually disabled individuals.

The Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, PRIDE Industries, Keiki Education Living Independent Institute for Autism and Other Special Needs, Early Childhood Action Strategy, Aloha Independent Living Hawai‘i, and several individuals supported this measure. The Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and Autism Society of Hawaii offered comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting provisions regarding coverage for home- and community-based services for persons diagnosed with Autism or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 242, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 242, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair