CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 188

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 705

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 705, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE ON AGING,"

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:

(1) Establish a temporary Medi-Medi Project within the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program to assist the underserved population in the State who may qualify for various low-income subsidy programs to gain access to their benefits; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program, including for staff and other operating expenses.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing the Medi-Medi Project within the Executive Office on Aging, rather than within the Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program;

(2) Inserting an appropriation amount of $121,016 to the Executive Office on Aging, including $71,016 for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position to implement and administer the Medi-Medi Project and $50,000 for operating expenses, including education and outreach;

(3) Requiring and appropriating $300,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 for the Executive Office on Aging to develop a one-year pilot project to make available the Medi-Medi Project to kupuna and families living in a disadvantaged community, specifically the Kalihi Valley catchment areas;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2025; and

(5) 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. 705, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 705, H.D. 1, 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

____________________________ TROY N. HASHIMOTO Chair	____________________________ LISA MARTEN Co-Chair
____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Co-Chair	____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA Co-Chair