STAND. COM. REP. NO. 978-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1533

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1533, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEATH BENEFITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the amount of death benefits paid by the Department of Human Services to cover the cremation and disposition costs for a deceased person who was eligible for medical or financial assistance at the time of the person's death and whose body is unclaimed.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Dodo Mortuary, Inc.; Hawaii Funeral & Cemetery Association, Inc.; and Mililani Group, Inc. d.b.a. Mililani Memorial Park & Mortuary. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the amount of the increase to an unspecified amount.

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. 1533, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1533, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair