STAND. COM. REP. NO. 481

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1417

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1417 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE REHABILITATION COUNCIL,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to reduce the number of members on the State Rehabilitation Council from twenty‑one to fifteen.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and the State Rehabilitation Council.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

 

     Your Committee finds that the State Rehabilitation Council is a mandated council under the federal Rehabilitation Act.  Federal statute prescribes the composition of the council to include individuals with disabilities and representatives from consumer organizations of people with disabilities, service providers, business, and industry.  The federal minimum number of required positions on the State Rehabilitation Council is fifteen.

 

     Your Committee further finds that the State Rehabilitation Council has had difficulty in reaching quorum with the current number of members.  Your Committee also finds that it is the belief of the State Rehabilitation Council that there would be a greater chance of achieving quorum with the more manageable federal minimum of fifteen members.

 

     Your Committee has heard the concerns about whether it will still be possible to ensure that a majority of members are individuals with disabilities if there is a reduction in membership on the Council.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to allow for 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. 1417, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1417, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair