STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3209

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2224

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2224, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Executive Office on Aging (EOA) to create a comprehensive long-term care master plan to accomplish long-term care policy goals that, when implemented, ensures the availability of a full continuum of institutional and community-based services;

(2) Establish long-term care planner positions within the EOA to oversee the development and implementation of the long-term care master plan;

(3) Require the EOA to submit a report on the comprehensive master plan to the Legislature; and

(4) Appropriate funds to develop the comprehensive master plan.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, AARP Hawaiʻi, International Longshore & Warehouse Union Local 1000, Sebastian's ARCH LLC, and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that long-term care of the State's aging population is a matter of statewide concern. Your Committee further finds that there are many different providers, stakeholders, advocates, and agencies who must coordinate their efforts to ensure an equitable, affordable, and widely available long-term care system. This measure establishes an updated and comprehensive master plan for the State's long-term care system to better facilitate this coordination amongst stakeholders and to explore additional options in long-term financing of home-and community-based services and implement additional system improvements.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2224, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair