STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3479

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 350, 351, 352, 353

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 350, 351, 352, and 353, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Statewide Council on Independent Living

 

G.M. No. 350

LILLIAN GONZALES BROWN,

for a term to expire 6-30-2011;

 

G.M. No. 351

LOUISE R. HORIO,

for a term to expire 6-30-2011;

 

G.M. No. 352

MARGARET LEVY-DOHANOS CAN,

for a term to expire 6-30-2011; and

 

G.M. No. 353

SANDRA K. MEEHAN,

for a term to expire 6-30-2011;

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee received written testimony in support of each of the nominees from the Department of Human Services and oral testimony in support of each of the nominees from the State Independent Living Council (SILC).

 

     Your Committee received additional written testimony in support of nominee Louise R. Horio from the Interagency COORDINATION Councils and two private citizens.  Written comments on the nomination were submitted by the Disability and Communication Access Board. 

 

     Your Committee received additional written testimony in support of nominee Margaret Levy-Dohanos Can from CareResource Hawaii, and two private citizens. 

 

     Your Committee received additional written testimony in support of nominee Sandra K. Meehan from Hawaii Fi-Do Service and Therapy Dogs and one private citizen. 

 

     Nominee Brown currently serves as the SILC Treasurer.  An individual with a disability herself, she is also a freelance disability educator and consultant. 

 

     Nominee Horio currently serves as a substitute member of SILC.  She is a retired school teacher of thirty years, now physically disabled and significantly visually impaired, the current President of Hui Kupuna VIP, a senior group of visually impaired persons, and a member of the Working Group to develop the 2008 Interagency Action Plan for the Emergency Preparedness of People with Disabilities and Special Health Needs.  

 

     Nominee Can currently serves as a member of SILC.  She has been a certified nursing assistant and caregiver for seventeen years, a longtime public transportation and paratransit advocate, is a founding member/owner of the Paradise Home Care Cooperative set to open in June 2008, and a member of the Puna Community Development Plan Mass Transit Working Group.

 

     Nominee Meehan currently serves as the Chair of SILC.  She has considerable work experience in independent living and the development of independent living outreach services and centers, including directorship of the Tri-County Independent Living Center, advocate with the Association of Independent Living Centers of Utah, and outreach coordinator for the Hawaii Centers for Independent Living.  She is also an individual with a disability, and has been a longtime advocate for persons with disabilities.

 

     Upon review of the testimony, personal history, and statements submitted by the nominees, your Committee finds that the nominees have the necessary qualifications to serve on the Statewide Council on Independent Living. 

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Public Housing that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Public Housing,

 

 

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair