STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1118

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 870

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 870, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE NEIGHBOR ISLANDS BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED SERVICE PILOT PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and fund a four-year Neighbor Islands Blind and Visually Impaired Service Pilot Program and working group to supplement existing statewide services by providing training and other services to neighbor island residents who are blind or visually impaired.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, National Organization of Parents of Blind Children, and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 870, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 870, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair