STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 733
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2023
RE: H.B. No. 914
H.D. 1
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2023
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 914, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to:
(1) Require the Department of Health to prioritize complaint allegations based on severity for inspections of state‑licensed or state-certified care facilities;
(2) Clarify who is prohibited from knowingly referring or transferring patients to an uncertified or unlicensed care facility; and
(3) Repeal 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.
Your Committee finds that the prevalence of unlicensed care homes and facilities in the State continues to pose significant health and consumer protection issues for Hawaii's elderly and vulnerable populations. The Department of Health continues to take enforcement actions to protect the public, which are critical components of the State's regulatory efforts for consumer protection. This measure aims to provide additional safeguards for the public, protect aged and vulnerable persons, and ensure quality of care by expanding the Department of Health's ability to more thoroughly investigate complaints and enforce the requirement that all residential care homes and other health care facilities, agencies, and organizations be licensed.
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. 914, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,
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____________________________ MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair |
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