STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1041

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   S.B. No. 126

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 126, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to:

 

(1)  Establish a Medicaid buy-in program for working people with disabilities who do not have employer prepaid or employer-sponsored health care insurance or who earn more than the allowable ceiling to obtain Medicaid coverage; and

 

(2)  Make an appropriation in an unspecified amount for fiscal year (FY) 2011-2012 and FY 2012-2013 for the employment training and placement program that stipulates that the State's share of funding is to be matched by federal funds.

 

     The Consumer, Family, & Youth Alliance, Mental Health America of Hawaii, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The State Council on Developmental Disabilities supported the intent.  The Department of Human Services opposed this measure.  A concerned individual provided comments.

 

     Your Committee finds that before statutorily authorizing the establishment of a Medicaid buy-in program, the matter should first be studied, assessed, and accordingly revised with input from stakeholders due to prudence and the conservation of limited resources.  Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by substituting its contents with provisions that allow the establishment of a joint legislative task force on the Medicaid buy-in program for working persons with disabilities.  Among other things, the amendments:

 

(1)  Establish the task force membership;

 

(2)  Require the task force to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2012; and

 

(3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2075, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 126, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 126, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair