STAND. COM. REP. NO.  254-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2056

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2056 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to protect and assist the elderly by, among other things:

(1)  Establishing a Fall Prevention and Early Detection Coordinator position to coordinate public and private fall prevention and early detection services;

(2)  Establishing an Elder Abuse and Fraud position;

(3)  Removing the hiring requirement relating to the Director of Health's appointment of the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator;

(4)  Requiring the Department of Health Executive Office on Aging to conduct a long-term care education and awareness campaign, and to obtain an independent evaluation of the campaign; and

(5)  Appropriating funds for the Fall Prevention and Early Detection Coordinator position; Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator position; Prevention of Elder Abuse and Fraud position; Kupuna Care Program; Aging and Disability Resource Center; various senior centers on Oahu; Healthy Aging Partnership Program; education and awareness campaign on long-term care and independent evaluation of the campaign; and awareness and education of elder abuse, neglect, and fraud.

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, AARP, Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, ILWU Local 142, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Lanakila Pacific, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, and numerous individuals supported this measure.  The Executive Office on Aging, Department of Health, and Moiliili Community Center Senior Center Program commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Deleting the specified appropriation amounts to support further deliberation on the financial aspects;

(2)  Removing:

          (A)  The Fall Prevention and Early Detection Coordinator position;

          (B)  The Kupuna Care Program appropriation;

          (C)  Aging and Disability Resource Center appropriation;

          (D)  Healthy Aging Partnership Program appropriation; and

          (E)  The Long-term Care Education and Awareness Campaign;

(3)  Changing the position to be established by the Executive Office on Aging from a Prevention of Elder Abuse and Fraud position to an Elder Justice Coordinator position;

(4)  Specifying the responsibilities of the Elder Justice Coordinator position;

(5)  Clarifying that the appropriation to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for awareness and education of elder abuse, neglect, and fraud is for elder financial exploitation;

(6)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(7)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     Should this measure be heard by the Committee on Finance, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider appropriating:

(1)  $70,000 for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 for the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia Services Coordinator position;

(2)  $335,000 for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 to provide funding for grants, pursuant to Chapter 42F, HRS, for the following senior centers:

(A)  $185,000 for Catholic Charities Hawaii for the Lanakila Multi-purpose Senior Center;

(B)  $40,000 for Kapahulu Center;

(C)  $50,000 for Moiliili Community Center for the Moiliili Senior Center; and

(D)  $60,000 for Waikiki Community Center;

(3)  $70,000 for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 for the Executive Office on Aging to establish and hire an Elder Justice Coordinator position; and

(4)  $50,000 for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 for awareness and education on elder financial exploitation.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2056, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2056, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair