STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2231
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 849
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. 849 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL SERVICES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Amend the state supplemental payment ceiling amounts for domiciliary care paid to recipients who are eligible for federal supplementary security income or public assistance, or both; and
(2) Amend the monthly needs allowance for individuals residing in foster homes, care homes, domiciliary homes, and other long-term care facilities.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Work Now Hawaii, Laʻakea Village, Arc of Maui County, Hawaii Self-Advocacy Advisory, and sixteen individuals.
Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from two individuals.
Your Committee finds that monthly personal needs allowance funds allow individuals living in long-term care facilities to make personal purchases of goods or services, enabling self-determination and personal choice by the individuals over their own lives. The allowance also allows individuals with developmental disabilities who reside in these home settings opportunities to participate in social events and improve their quality of life. Your Committee further finds that the current monthly personal needs allowance of $50 has not been raised since 2007. Therefore, it is crucial that the allowance amount be raised to reflect the substantial rise in inflation rates.
Your Committee
notes that although this measure contains an
unspecified implementation date for the increase in the state supplemental
payment ceiling amounts, the testimony of the Department of Human
Services provides that it will be able to make system changes for the implementation
in one hundred twenty days. Accordingly, your Committee respectfully
requests that subsequent Committees to which this measure is referred consider
this time frame when determining the implementation date as this measure moves
through the legislative process.
Your Committee further notes that the testimony of the Department of Human Services also sets forth the specific state supplemental payment ceiling amounts needed to increase the monthly personal needs allowance to $75 without additional appropriation.
Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(2) Setting the state supplemental payment
ceiling for type II adult residential care homes
at $917.00;
(3) Clarifying that the state supplemental payment
ceiling amounts above include the care rate and personal needs allowance; and
(4) Setting the monthly needs allowance at $75.
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. 849, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 849, 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 |
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