CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 136-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1533

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1533, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEATH BENEFITS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to increase the amount of death benefits paid by the Department of Human Services to cover the cremation and disposition costs for a deceased person who was eligible for medical or financial assistance at the time of the person's death and whose body is unclaimed.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the death benefits payment from an unspecified amount to $1,600;

(2) Inserting an appropriation amount of $277,600 to cover the increased costs for the death benefits paid by the Department of Human Services;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2024; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1533, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1533, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair	____________________________ LISA MARTEN Co-Chair
____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Co-Chair	____________________________ SCOTT Y. NISHIMOTO Co-Chair