STAND. COM. REP. NO. 406

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 872

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. 872 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HEALTHY AGING PARTNERSHIP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Executive Office on Aging for the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, Agency on Elderly Affairs of the County of Kaua‘i, Kupuna Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, AARP Hawai‘i, and numerous individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership was established in 2003 to improve the health status of older adults by empowering residents to make healthy decisions and engage in healthier lifestyles. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership has not received state funding since 2019. Without additional funding, the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership will not be able to continue to offer its two evidence-based intervention programs, Better Choices Better Health and EnhanceFitness. This measure aims to improve the health and well-being of Hawaii's kupuna through consistent funding for the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership Program, so it can continue offering its important and effective health programs.

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. 872, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 872, 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