STAND. COM. REP. NO. 869-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.C.R. No. 7

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 7 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATURE TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO REEVALUATE THE PLACEMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the Legislature to convene a task force to reevaluate the appropriate placement of the Office of the Public Guardian, which is currently placed within the Judiciary.

The State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Judiciary, and Hawaii Disability Rights Center testified in support of this measure. The Department of Health (DOH) supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committee finds that the Office of the Public Guardian should be placed in an executive department that has no conflict of interest with the services it provides. However, no agency has currently agreed to assume responsibility for the program. The Judiciary, DOH, and Department of Human Services (DHS) all provide services to those who are served by the Office of the Public Guardian.

 

Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by:

(1) Changing its title to read, "REQUESTING THE JUDICIARY TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO REEVALUATE THE PLACEMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN";

(2) Requesting the Judiciary to convene the task force instead of the Legislature;

(3) Designating only one representative from DOH and one representative from DHS instead of representatives from several divisions of those agencies;

(4) Clarifying the proper name of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities; and

(5) Making other technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 7, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 7, H.D. 1.

 

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

 

____________________________

MICHAEL PUAMAMO KAHIKINA, Chair