STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2663

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3122

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3122 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to be expended by the Department of Human Services to establish and implement a new program to provide home- and community- based services to individuals who are at-risk of requiring institutionalization.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Council on Developmental Disabilities, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Action Group, Keiki Education Living Independent Institute Foundation, Hawaii Disability Rights Center, Hawai‘i Psychological Association, and twelve individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health and Department of Human Services.

Your Committees find that there are Medicaid beneficiaries in the State with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are unable to access home- and community-based services. These individuals are at higher risk for future institutionalization because they may lack independent daily living skills and may be unable to manage their own care or to access the support necessary to maintain their independence.

Your Committees also find that this measure could allow the Department of Human Services to further convene stakeholders to better define the population, the projected number of people who need services, and the services they need.

Your Committees, at the suggestion of the Department of Health and the Department of Human Services, have amended this measure by:

(1) Changing some language in the description of individuals eligible for the program's services to align more closely with Medicaid programs; and

(2) 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, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3122, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3122, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair