STAND. COM. REP. NO. 847-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 227

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 227, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to bolster the Department of Health's enforcement activities to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the State's elderly and vulnerable populations by:

(1) Clarifying the group of professionals who are prohibited from knowingly referring or transferring patients to an uncertified or unlicensed care facility;

(2) Repealing the provision that a landlord, under specified conditions, shall not be deemed to be providing home care services or operating a care facility that requires a license; and

(3) Requiring the Department of Health to prioritize complaint allegations based on severity for investigations of state-licensed or state-certified care facilities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Executive Office on Aging, Big Island Adult Foster Home Operators, United Caregivers of Hawaii, Adult Foster Homecare Association of Hawaii, Okano Care Home, and ten individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i Primary Care Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 227, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair