STAND. COM. REP. NO. 153-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1893

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1893 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OAHU REGIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure transfer the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home to the Oahu Regional Health Care System so that when the Oahu Regional Health Care System is transferred from the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to the Department of Health, pursuant to Act 212, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home will become part of the Department of Health.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, Office of the Adjutant General, State Office of Veterans' Services, and seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Health, Office of Information Practices, Oahu Regional Health Care System, and Hawaii Health Systems Corporation Corporate Board of Directors.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Defense lacks the legal flexibility and medical expertise needed for continued operational oversight of a long-term care facility. Your Committee further finds that the Oahu Regional Health Care System has experience in managing and operating long-term care facilities and the legal flexibility to contract, administer, and provide for operational oversight of a long-term care facility. This measure ensures that the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home will be operational after construction on the facility is completed in April 2023 by transferring management and operational oversight to a state agency with the expertise and ability to successfully manage a long-term care facility.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home will be transferred to the Oahu Regional Health Care System and not the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation;

(2) Clarifying that none of the liabilities of the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home in existence at the time it is assimilated into the Oahu Regional Health Care System shall become liabilities of the Oahu Regional Health Care System;

(3) Clarifying that after the transfer of the Oahu Regional Health Care System into the Department of Health, all rights, privileges, and obligations previously held by the Oahu Regional Health Care System in relation to the Daniel K. Akaka State Veterans Home shall continue to be held by the Department of Health;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1893, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1893, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair