STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3005

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2094

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2094, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOME CARE LICENSING,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish initial funding to begin the licensing process for home care agencies by appropriating funds to the Department of Health for one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) permanent position.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committees find that many of Hawaii's elderly live alone and face declining mental and physical abilities.  Home care agencies are a critical resource that provide care for the State's kupuna.  Your Committees further find that it is important to safeguard this population and ensure the safety of individuals receiving care in their home, by licensing home care agencies.  Your Committees received testimony from the Department of Health expressing concern that the full-time position created by this measure would be funded through special funds and should instead be funded through general revenues.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing references to using licensing fees to support the position created within the Department of Health that will facilitate the licensing of home care agencies;

 

     (2)  Adding language to clarify that it is not the Legislature's intent that the position in the Department of Health to facilitate licensing of home care agencies be funded by monies in the office of health care assurance special fund;

 

     (3)  Inserting a section to extend by five years the repeal date of Act 21, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, which requires home care agencies to be licensed by the Department of Health;

 

     (4)  Inserting a provision instructing the Department of Health to submit future funding requests for the permanent position that facilitates the licensing of home care agencies to the Director of Finance as part of its annual budget request;

 

     (5)  Changing the effective date to June 29, 2050, with an effective date of July 1, 2050, for the appropriation; and

 

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2094, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2094, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 


Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair