STAND. COM. REP. 3270

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2814

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2814, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KALAUPAPA SETTLEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to implement the Auditor's recommendations to improve the quality of life for the patients who have remained at the Kalaupapa settlement.

Specifically, this measure requires the Department of Health to submit an annual report to the Legislature regarding the following:

(1) The Department's provision of medical and basic living needs of the patients;

(2) The Department's progress toward defining and addressing the nonmedical needs of patients;

(3) The Department's progress toward promoting a positive living environment;

(4) The Department's management of state resources, including benefits given to employees that are not statutorily defined;

(5) The Department's progress toward establishing written policies and procedures for the Kalaupapa store;

(6) The Department's progress toward establishing and maintaining a complaint file and adequately addressing complaints;

(7) The performance of the administrator, including compliance with job duties;

(8) The Department's progress toward adequate accountability of state property; and

(9) Details and justification of approved employee air travel requests and trail pay.

Your Committee finds that, many years ago, residents of this State who contracted Hansen's Disease were taken away from family and friends and forced to live in exile in Kalawao County at the Kalaupapa Settlement. Many of the patients who are still alive today were in their teens or early twenties when they were diagnosed with Hansen's Disease. Although today these patients are free to come and go as they please, they have chosen to live the remainder of their lives in Kalaupapa.

In 2003, the Legislature requested the Auditor to conduct an audit due to patients asserting numerous allegations of excessive or inappropriate expenditures and preferential treatment toward the workers, rather than patients. The results of the audit found that these allegations were true.

Your Committee is recommending passage of this bill to address some of the wrongdoings, but more so, to reaffirm the State's commitment and promise to the patients that they may live the remainder of their lives peacefully and comfortably in Kalaupapa.

It is the intent of your Committee that the remaining patients receive the care and comfort they need and that the focus of the Department of Health be on remembering that the patients come first.

Once the last patient leaves the Kalaupapa Settlement, Kalawao County will become a national park for the world to remember the many sacrifices and hardships that the patients made so that others could live normal lives.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2814, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair