CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 197

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1252

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1252, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEMENTIA,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii to establish positions for the University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine's (JABSOM) Department of Geriatric Medicine to provide coordination between the University of Hawaii's programs that provide training on Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Your Committee on Conference finds that the State has a rapidly increasing aging population. Of this population, approximately thirty-one thousand people aged sixty-five or older are living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. Your Committee on Conference further finds that many health care providers in the State do not receive specialized training on dementia. Your Committee on Conference also finds that JABSOM's Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Hawaii's Center for Aging, and University of Hawaii's Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health have been providing courses and actively engaging in educating students in Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia to prepare them for caring for patients with these conditions. This measure establishes additional staff positions in JABSOM's Department of Geriatric Medicine to provide greater coordination between various University of Hawaii programs in delivering training to health care professionals.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $525,000, for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0) positions within JABSOM's Department of Geriatric Medicine to:

(A) Coordinate and incorporate training on Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia for health care provers into existing University of Hawaii programs; and

(B) Review, update, and develop a dementia curriculum to be incorporated into existing University of Hawaii programs with the goal of establishing a local, informed dementia workforce;

(2) Inserting language requiring JABSOM's Department of Geriatric Medicine to submit an annual report to the Legislature beginning December 15, 2025, through December 15, 2027, on the hiring of personnel and accomplishments realized pursuant to this measure;

(3) Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose;

(4) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1252, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1252, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT Co-Chair	____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM Chair
____________________________ DANIEL HOLT Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J.C. AQUINO Co-Chair