STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3031

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2196

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2196, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to create and amend a number of mandates concerning the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving. 

 

     Specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Extends the term of the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving (Committee);

 

     (2)  Changes the Committee's name to the Joint Legislative Committee on Aging in Place;

 

     (3)  Expands the Committee's mandate to include aging in place issues related to family caregiving;

 

     (4)  Requires the Hawaii Aging and Disability Resource Center to report to the Committee;

 

     (5)  Requires the Committee to design a cash and counseling project and appropriates funds therefor;

 

     (6)  Allows the Kupuna Care program to include overnight, weekend, and emergency respite, and provide grants to caregivers and for home modification; and

 

     (7)  Appropriates funds to the Kupuna Care program.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Disability and Communication Access Board, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the City and County of Honolulu, the Maui County Executive on Aging, the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, AARP Hawaii, Catholic Charities of Hawaii, Hawaii Aging Advocates Coalition, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, ILWU Local 142, Kokua Council, Project Dana, and one private citizen.  Comments on the measure were submitted by the Executive Office on Aging. 

 

     Your Committee finds that family caregiving plays a vital role in addressing the needs of the increasing elder and disability populations needing long-term care services and community support.  Your Committee further finds that the efforts of the Joint Legislative Committee on Family Caregiving are making inroads into developing viable support systems for family caregivers that include coordinated services and policies, training and education, respite services, financial incentives, and paid family leave.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Replacing its contents with that of S.B. No. 2830, S.D. 1, which, in addition to the seven above-listed items, also does the following:

 

          (A)  Amends the above-listed item number five concerning the cash and counseling project to designing a model cash and counseling program;

 

          (B)  Establishes a task force to focus on the needs and issues of grandparents raising grandchildren; and

 

          (C)  Appropriates funds to the Executive Office on Aging to continue its respite inventory project in collaboration with the University of Hawaii;

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to June 30, 2008; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2196, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2196, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair