STAND. COM. REP. 208

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: H.B. No. 925

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 925 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELDER ABUSE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to require:

(1) The Department of Health (DOH) to conduct a criminal history record check of operators and employees of skilled nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, adult residential care homes, adult foster homes, and assisted living facilities; and

(2) The Department of Human Services (DHS) to conduct a criminal history record check of operators and employees of day care centers for elder disabled and aged persons.

DOH, Kokua Council, and the ILWU Local 142 supported this measure. DHS supported the intent of this measure.

Your Committees are committed to provide for the health and safety of the frail and vulnerable elderly. Criminal history record checks are an essential component to ensuring the safety of individuals being cared for in nursing and other assisted living facilities. Your Committees note that DOH does not license adult foster homes, as noted in the measure.

Your Committees have amended this bill accordingly by:

(1) Removing references to adult foster homes in the section pertaining to DOH;

(2) Replacing the section pertaining to DHS with the contents of H.B. No. 1192 that provides further specifications on background checks; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, conformity, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 925, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 925, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair

____________________________

MICHAEL PUAMAMO KAHIKINA, Chair