CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 139

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1369

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

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. 1369, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NURSING FACILITIES,"

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 preserve access to health care for Medicaid recipients and strengthen the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program by:

(1) Repealing the sunset dates of Act 156, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, and Act 124, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, thereby making the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program permanent and permanently exempting the Nursing Sustainability Program Special Fund from the central service and administrative expenses assessments;

(2) Making various amendments to the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program;

(3) Repealing the Nursing Facility Tax; and

(4) Appropriating funds out of the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program Special Fund.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $27,000,000 out of the Nursing Facility Sustainability Program Special Fund for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 for the purposes of the Special Fund;

(2) Changing the effective date to upon approval; provided that sections 14 and 15 shall take effect on July 1, 2023; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, 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. 1369, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1369, H.D. 1, 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

____________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA Chair	____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO Co-Chair
____________________________ CHRIS LEE Co-Chair	____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair
	____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA Co-Chair