STAND. COM. REP. NO. 386-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2417

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2417 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the need for services for blind and visually impaired individuals residing on the neighbor islands by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Human Services to establish a neighbor islands blind and visually impaired service pilot program; contract with a qualified nonprofit organization to manage the day-to-day operations of the pilot program; and submit a report to the Legislature regarding the pilot program; and

(2) Appropriating funds for the pilot program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Disability Rights Hawaii, and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that individuals who are blind or visually impaired and reside on the neighbor islands have difficulty accessing certain services without traveling to Oahu. Your Committee further finds that increasing low vision and blind skills training on the neighbor islands is necessary to provide orientation and mobility skills, essential living skills, and other basic skills to blind and individually impaired individuals so they can lead independent lives.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing its effective date to December 31, 2059, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Should your Committee on Finance choose to hear this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $500,000 for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the pilot program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2417, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2417, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair