STAND

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.8

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 882

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 882 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MULTI-PURPOSE SENIOR CENTERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Executive Office on Aging to ensure the availability of a network of multi-purpose senior centers throughout the State, by establishing state-operated senior centers or providing funding assistance to county or private nonprofit senior centers.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the City and County of Honolulu-Department of Community Services; Catholic Charities Elderly Services; the Moiliili Community Center; the Waikiki Community Center; and one concerned citizen. Verbal testimony supporting the intent was received from the Executive Office on Aging.

Your Committee finds that multi-purpose senior centers provide health, social, nutritional, educational, and recreational programs, counseling, and case management services for elders in communities statewide, without regard to ability to pay. Studies show that the longer an aging individual can remain active, engaged, and productive at a senior center, the less that individual has to worry about long-term care. Thus, multi-purpose senior centers also help to prevent premature institutionalization at a long-term care facility, at a potentially greater cost to the State.

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. 882 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

		____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair