CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 79

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 804

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PALLIATIVE CARE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the culturally competent palliative care pilot program to promote palliative care, gather health care utilization data, and conduct bidding for at least two pilot programs for home- or community-based palliative care;

(2) Require reports to the Legislature on how funds were expended for the culturally competent palliative care pilot program;

(3) Establish an advisory group to oversee implementation of the pilot program; and

(4) Appropriate funds for the pilot program.

Your Committee on Conference finds that palliative care, which focuses on providing patients with symptom relief from serious illness, significantly improves the quality of life of patients and their families. However, palliative care usage rates in Hawaii are lower than on the mainland, in part because Asian and Pacific Islanders are less likely to enroll in palliative care options. Your Committee on Conference further finds that establishing the culturally competent palliative care pilot program is a promising step toward increasing patient, family, and provider engagement with palliative care options.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $250,000 for the palliative care pilot program;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2019; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO Co-Chair	____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair
____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI Co-Chair	____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH Co-Chair
____________________________ BERTRAND KOBAYASHI Co-Chair