STAND. COM. REP. NO. 57-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1771

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1771 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAI'I HEALTH AGING PARTNERSHIP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership to continue to improve the health and well-being of Hawaii's kupuna.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging; Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs; Hawaiʻi County Office of Aging; AARP Hawaiʻi; 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. Since its inception, the Healthy Aging Partnership has continued to demonstrate its success as an evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention program. Your Committee further finds that for the past two decades, such programs have shown positive results in improving the lives of Hawaii's kupuna and reducing health care costs. However, without continued funding, the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership may be forced to end. Appropriating funds to continue the Hawaii Healthy Aging Partnership will ensure the Executive Office on Aging can continue to offer important and effective public health interventions to the State's kupuna.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $600,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1771, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1771, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair