STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2035

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2461

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2461 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE HAWAII HEALTHY AGING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership (HHAP) program to further its role in improving the health and well-being of Hawaii's kupuna.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health Executive Office on Aging; County of Hawaii Office of Aging; AARP Hawai‘i; Policy Advisory Board on Elderly Affairs; Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition; and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the HHAP program is a statewide coalition of more than sixty partners, dedicated to embedding evidence-based health promotion programs in Hawaii's aging services network. Led by the Department of Health's Executive Office on Aging and Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division, the program was formed in 2003 to improve the health status of older adults by empowering residents to make healthy decisions and engage in healthier lifestyles. Your Committee finds that the prohibitions against in-person classes due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced the HHAP program to close all physical locations. However, the program overcame this challenge by developing and offering programs in alternative formats, including online virtual exercise classes, remote disease self-management programs, and served close to four hundred kupuna. As the State recovers from the effects of the pandemic, your Committee believes that the HHAP program is ready to scale its programs up in both remote and in-person formats to help more kupuna stay healthy. However, funding for the HHAP program is not included in the current administration's budget. Accordingly, this measure will appropriate $500,000 for fiscal year 2022-2023, to fund the continued operation of the HHAP program to improve the health and well-being of Hawaii's kupuna.

Your Committee has reviewed the written testimony of the Department of Budget and Finance expressing concerns regarding this measure's possible effect on the State's obligation to adhere to the maintenance of effort requirements as a recipient of Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief funds under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Recovery Plan Act of 2021. Your Committee finds that this issue raises concerns that merit further consideration and respectfully requests that your Committee on Ways and Means further examine those issues and concerns raised by the testimonies on this measure.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2461, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2461, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair