CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 53

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2017

RE:    H.B. No. 1396

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1396, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY CARE FOSTER FAMILY HOMES,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to recognize the varied needs of the State's aging population by authorizing the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to allow two private-pay individuals to be cared for in the same community care foster family home, provided certain requirements are met.

     Your Committee on Conference notes that there is an ever-increasing need for community care foster family homes to support the health and long-term care needs of an aging population and families in the State.  Under current law, community care foster family homes are generally licensed to provide accommodations and services to not more than two residents at any one time, one of whom must be a Medicaid recipient, who are at the nursing facility level of care.  Under current law, a community care foster family home may request a third bed; however, the third bed must be for a Medicaid recipient.

Besides providing accommodations to Medicaid recipients, community care foster family homes also provide accommodations and services to private-pay individuals.  Your Committee on Conference finds that not only are Medicaid recipients affected by the rising costs of long-term care, so are individuals who do not rely on Medicaid.  Your Committee on Conference believes it is necessary to address the varied needs of the State's aging population by providing the Department of Health with the flexibility to allow, subject to certain conditions, two private-pay individuals who are married or in a civil union to be cared for in the same community care foster family home, provided that the care home also provides care and services to a third adult resident who is a Medicaid recipient and subject to other specified conditions.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to upon its approval; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1396, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1396, H.D. 2, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ JOSH GREEN Chair	____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA Co-Chair
____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Co-Chair	____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Co-Chair
____________________________ BRICKWOOD GALUTERIA Co-Chair	____________________________ BERTRAND KOBAYASHI Co-Chair