STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1841-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 3113

S.D. 2

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 3113, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KUPUNA CARE PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to incorporate the Kupuna Caregivers Program into the Kupuna Care Program and add services for care recipients, caregivers, and employed caregivers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Policy Advisory Board of Elder Affairs, Agency on Elderly Affairs of the County of Kauai, Office of Aging of the County of Hawai‘i, AARP Hawai‘i, AAUW of Hawaii, Rainbow Family 808, and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, Alzheimer's Association, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Kupuna Care Program began in 2001 to provide long-term services and supports to kupuna, and the Kupuna Caregivers Program began in 2017 to provide support for working caregivers. Your Committee concurs with the Executive Office on Aging that operating both programs, which offer the same services for kupuna and their caregivers, causes silos in the system and does not lend itself to a seamless system of supports for kupuna and their caregivers. This measure therefore streamlines the administrative and programmatic burdens imposed by the programs while allowing for an array of seamless services and supports to meet the comprehensive needs of kupuna and their caregivers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the definition of "kupuna care services" to include respite care for employed caregivers;

(2) Requiring the Executive Office on Aging to develop an outreach plan to inform individuals of the Kupuna Care Program and services of the Program;

(3) Requiring the Executive Office on Aging to submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding the number of individuals who participate in the Kupuna Care Program and the number of individuals on a program waitlist; and

(4) 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3113, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3113, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair