STAND. COM. REP. NO. 150

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.B. No. 559

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 559 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INCOME TAX CHECK-OFF FOR SENIOR SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a senior services trust fund into which is deposited a $5 income tax check-off from refunds, to be used to fund programs and services of the Executive Office on Aging.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Lanakila Rehabilitation Center and the Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs. Comments were also submitted by the Department of Taxation and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that there is an urgent need to provide appropriate services to Hawaii's increasing aging population. The Executive Office on Aging develops, coordinates, and delivers services to adults sixty years and older, providing supportive, nutrition, and other related services to Hawaii's elderly population. This measure offers a source of non-government funding for use by the Executive Office on Aging to assist with their services and programs from those who voluntarily identify the elderly as a priority population.

Your Committee notes that in the future, the Auditor and the Committee should consider reviewing and reprioritizing the current income tax check-off options.

Your Committee has amended this measure by clarifying that the moneys to be provided to the Executive Office on Aging are used for expenses limited to programs and services, and not for the administrative operating expenses of that office.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 559, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 559, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair