STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1119-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2102

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health and Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON AGING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the description for the appropriation for the Alzheimer's disease and related dementia services coordinator in Act 127, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019.

Prior to the public hearing on this measure, your Committees posted and made available for public review a proposed H.D. 1, which deletes the contents of this measure and inserts provisions in response to the global pandemic of COVID-19 to:

(1) Require the Executive Office on Aging (EOA) and all agencies and non-profits that receive funding through EOA, including the Kupuna Care Program and Kupuna Caregivers Program, to establish certain sanitation protocols for caregivers in long-term care facilities; and

(2) Require the Executive Director of EOA to request an allocation of funds from the Governor's emergency proclamation for the sanitation protocols.

Your Committees received comments on the proposed H.D. 1 from the Executive Office on Aging, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, and Catholic Charities Hawaii.

Your Committees find that the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic on March 11, 2020, and that governments at all levels must take swift action to contain and mitigate the effects of this new and deadly disease. Your Committees further find that COVID-19 poses a particular threat to elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

Your Committees suggest that the Department of Health and EOA appoint an interdepartmental liaison to work between high-risk and monitored kupuna who are living in care homes and state officials. This liaison is essential to ensure that Hawaii's most high-risk and vulnerable citizens receive the assistance and attention from the government that they need and deserve during this crisis. Your Committees also find that regular communication is a vital step toward reducing the number of COVID-19 cases in the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by adopting the proposed H.D. 1 and further amending the measure by:

(1) Requiring EOA and all agencies and non-profits that receive funding through EOA, including the Kupuna Care Program and Kupuna Caregivers Program, to establish infection control protocols for caregivers in long-term care facilities; establish emergency preparedness and response protocols, including but not limited to visitation policies for long-term care facilities; and implement COVID-19 testing of residents of long-term care facilities; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health and Human Services & Homelessness that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health and Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair