STAND. COM. REP. NO. 383

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 988

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 988, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SERVICES FOR KUPUNA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend kupuna care and caregiver support services laws to:

(1) Expand the definition of "coach" to include an individual that assists the care recipient and caregiver with enrollment into programs and completing necessary forms;

(2) Amend the definition of "person-centered support plan" to mean a plan developed by a care recipient and the recipient's qualified caregiver that identifies the needs of the care recipient and allows the caregiver to remain in the workforce;

(3) Allow qualified caregivers to continue providing services even if they work less than thirty hours a week or are working reduced hours or are unemployed during a declared state of emergency;

(4) Add traditional services and kupuna caregiver-directed services to the Kupuna Caregivers Program; and

(5) Allow funds allocated to qualified caregivers under the Kupuna Caregivers Program to be issued directly to a financial management service provider.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Executive Office on Aging, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, AARP Hawai‘i, AAUW of Hawaii, Breastfeeding Hawaii, Alzheimer's Association Aloha Chapter, Young Progressives Demanding Action, and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans.

Your Committee finds that because of the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, many caregivers of kupuna saw their hours of employment reduced and many others who worked for contracted service providers either closed or decreased their services. Your Committee further finds that providing more flexibility to those that provide caregiving services to kupuna during the ongoing economic uncertainty will provide area agencies on aging with more options to better serve kupuna and their qualified caregivers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting provisions that would have allowed an individual who is unemployed during a declared state of emergency to be a qualified caregiver; and

(2) 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 Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 988, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 988, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair