STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2471

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2837

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. 2837 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 and intent of this measure is to require the transfer of the Maui State Veterans Home to the Oahu Regional Health Care System and then to the Department of Health, as part of the Oahu Regional Health Care System transfer pursuant to Act 212, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, Oahu Region Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and one individual.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that there is currently no state veterans home to serve the needs of the veterans community on the island of Maui. Your Committee further finds that development plans for the construction of the Maui State Veterans Home is currently being undertaken by the Department of Defense. However, management, operation, and staffing of the Maui State Veterans Home should be placed under a state agency better able to manage a long-term care facility. Therefore, this measure transfers the Maui State Veterans Home to the Oahu Regional Health Care System and then to the Department of Health to better serve the veterans community in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

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. 2837, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2837, 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,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair