STAND. COM. REP. NO. 410

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 1334

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1334, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide long-term care coverage for the majority of the people of Hawaii by:

(1) Establishing a long-term care mandatory premium to fund long-term care benefits;

(2) Providing an income tax credit for payments made for long-term care insurance premiums; and

(3) Appropriating an undetermined amount of money for start-up costs.

Testimony in support of this bill was received from ILWU Local 142 and Kokua Council. Testimony in opposition to this bill was received from the Department of Health, Department of Taxation, NAIFA Hawaii, National Federation of Independent Business, Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, and Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

 

Your Committee finds that long-term health care has been a concern of legislators, as well as the general public, for many years. However, there has been no funding mechanism to implement long-term care coverage. While long-term care insurance is available from the private sector, premiums are too high for the majority of the State's residents. This bill provides the kind of broad-based funding mechanism that is necessary to provide long-term care coverage for the majority of Hawaii's residents.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1334, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.

on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

____________________________

KENNETH HIRAKI, Chair