STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3570

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 537, 582

 

 

 

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. 537 and 582, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

State Rehabilitation Council

 

G.M. No. 537

GWEN L. KELIIHOOMALU,

for a term to expire 6-30-2010, and

 

G.M. No. 582

CHRISTIAN E. YATES,

for a term to expire 6-30-2011,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee received written testimony in support of both nominees from the Department of Human Services and the State Rehabilitation Council.

 

     Nominee Keliihoomalu is a nationally-recognized Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, state-registered Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, and Licensed Mental Health Counselor.  She has thirty-two years of experience working in the private rehabilitation sector with individuals with disabilities.  She has gained extensive experience working with individuals and evaluating cases in the college setting, and in cases involving the Social Security Administration, where she has been considered an "expert witness" for twenty-one years, state and federal worker's compensation, the Veterans Administration, and personal injury.  She would bring representation to the Council from the County of Hawaii and the private rehabilitation counseling sector. 

 

     Nominee Yates currently serves as a member of the Advisory Board of Hoopono Hawaii State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, and as the President of SHAER, the State of Hawaii Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.  He has a Master's degree in Special Education and is currently the Education Specialist for the Hearing/Visual Impaired at the state level for the Department of Education.  Prior to his current position, he worked for thirteen years as a Department of Education Special Education teacher at various schools on Kauai and Oahu.  Mr. Yates would provide representation to the Council from the Special Education sector. 

 

     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 State Rehabilitation Council.

 

     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