STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2553

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2471

S.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 2471 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FALL PREVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to support the Department of Health's Senior Fall Prevention Campaign.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, Disability and Communication Access Board, AARP Hawaiʻi, Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Family Caregiver Coalition, and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that fall-related injuries disproportionately affect the elderly. Your Committee further finds that injuries from falling create an incalculable emotional and physical impact on seniors and their caregivers, and a significant financial toll on families and the health care system. Your Committee also finds, however, that falls are not an inevitable part of aging and are preventable. The Department of Health's Senior Fall Prevention Campaign has been successful in reducing falls and, when fully funded, has contributed to the State having the lowest fall and injury rate in the nation.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an unspecified appropriation amount; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an appropriation for an unspecified amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $100,000 for fiscal year 2024-2025.

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 S.B. No. 2471, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2471, S.D. 1, 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,

________________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair