STAND. COM. REP. NO. 404

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 652

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 652 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CAREGIVERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a Caregiver Workforce Support and Development Center to develop and expand the State's long-term and home- and community-based caregiver workforce to effectively care for Hawaii's aging population.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, AARP Hawai‘i, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that several factors, including an aging workforce and population and a greater demand for institutional and at-home patient care, have increased pressure on paid and unpaid caregivers in the State. Your Committee further finds that demand for caregivers will only increase, as the percentage of Hawaii's population aged seventy-five years or more is expected to double by 2045. This measure is intended to encourage the recruitment and retention of a robust caregiver workforce by establishing a Caregiver Workforce Support and Development Center to develop recruitment and retention campaigns, develop education and training programs, and provide professional development courses.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 652, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 652, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Homelessness,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair