STAND. COM. REP. NO. 309

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1142

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1142 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve the Kupuna Caregivers Program by providing additional options for caregivers to support their loved ones, especially during the hardship placed on families during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, Department of Health, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, AARP Hawaii, Adult Day Centers Hawaii, Alzheimer's Association, Faith Action for Community Equity, and thirteen individuals.

Your Committee finds that in 2017 the legislature established the kupuna caregivers program in the executive office on aging to focus on working caregivers and provide assistance to enable them to remain in the workforce. Your Committee also finds that the hardships imposed on families during the COVID-19 pandemic require some flexibility in the Kupuna Caregivers Program. Accordingly, your Committee finds that to meet kupuna caregivers' needs during this health crisis, the work eligibility requirement during a governor-proclaimed state of emergency must be refined; Kupuna Caregiver-Directed services should be added as an option; and a financial management service provider who is responsible for financial payments on behalf of participants enrolled in the Kupuna Caregiver-Directed program should also be added to the program.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing unemployed qualified caregivers from inclusion in the kupuna care and caregivers support services work eligibility program, during a governor-proclaimed state of emergency;

(2) Inserting an effective date of May 1, 2029; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1142, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1142, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair