STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1154-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: S.B. No. 2837

S.D. 2

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 Health & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 2837, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE OAHU REGIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, HAWAII HEALTH SYSTEMS CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to transfer the Maui State Veterans Home to the Oahu Regional Health Care System or another state agency.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation; Hawaii Health Systems Corporation – Oahu Region; Hawaii National Guard Enlisted Association; Hawaii American Legion; and three individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 153, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Defense is currently in the process of constructing a state veterans home on the island of Maui to provide long-term care services to Maui's veteran community. However, the Department of Defense lacks the medical expertise to oversee the continued operation of a long-term care facility. Your Committee believes that the Oahu Regional Health Care System is an appropriate entity with the expertise to manage a long-term care facility and has the capability to temporarily manage the proposed state veterans home on Maui as the Maui Regional Health Care System prepares to permanently manage the state veterans home.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Temporarily authorizing the Oahu Regional Health Care System to oversee the operations and management agreement of the Maui State Veterans Home, rather than transferring the Maui State Veterans Home to the Oahu Regional Health Care System or another state agency;

(2) Requiring the Maui Regional Health Care System to secure ownership of the land of the Maui State Veterans Home;

(3) Transferring permanent ownership and oversight of the operations and management agreement for the Maui State Veterans Home from the Oahu Regional Health Care System to the Maui Regional Health Care System by June 30, 2028;

(4) Requiring the Maui Regional Health Care System to submit annual reports to the Legislature on its progress to facilitate the Regional System's ability to exercise permanent ownership and oversight of the operations and management agreement;

(5) Requiring the Department of Defense, Maui Regional Health Care System, and Oahu Regional Health Care System to submit joint reports to the Legislature on the progress of the Maui State Veterans Home prior to the Home's transfer from the Oahu Regional Health Care System to the Maui Regional Health Care System;

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

(7) 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 S.B. No. 2837, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2837, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Homelessness,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair