Bill Text: HI SB137 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Health; Elderly Home Care; Licensing; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-03-21 - Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Belatti, Say excused (2). [SB137 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SB137-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 395

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 137

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 137, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate an unspecified amount to the Department of Health to create one full-time position in the Department to facilitate licensing of home care agencies.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee finds that home care agencies employ workers who assist a growing number of older adults and those with chronic illnesses or disabilities.  Home care workers are referred to by a variety of job titles, including certified nursing assistants, care assistants, and home care aides.  They make it possible for people with functional limitations to remain at home in a comfortable, familiar environment by providing a wide range of assistance with the activities of daily living.

 

     Your Committee further finds that in 2009, the Legislature passed Act 21, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2009.  The purpose of Act 21 is to protect consumers of home care services by requiring home care agencies to be licensed.  The Department of Health is collaborating with home care agencies, consumer advocates, and other stakeholders to draft the administrative rules needed to implement licensing.  The licensing fees charged to home care agencies will cover administrative costs associated with licensing, but initial funding is needed to start the licensing process so that fees can be collected.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 137, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

		____________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair