STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1233-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2727

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 2727, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NEUROTRAUMA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to allow moneys from the neurotrauma special fund to be used for direct services to individuals with neurotrauma.

Specifically, this bill allows moneys from the neurotrauma special fund to be used for services that assist individuals with neurotraumatic injuries, including but not limited to cognitive therapy, personal assistance, respite care, and day health programs. Furthermore, the bill requires the Department of Human Services to apply for a federal traumatic brain injury wavier no later than December 31, 2006.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this bill from the Hawaii Disability Rights Center, the Hawaii Psychological Association, and three individuals. The Department of Human Services submitted comments. The Department of Health expressed concerns and offered several suggestions to amend the bill.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by making the two changes suggested by the Department of Health, as follows:

(1) Deleting the enumeration of specific services to be provided in section 2 of the bill and clarifying that the services are direct services; and

(2) Delaying the deadline to apply for the federal waiver from December 31, 2006, to December 31, 2007, in section 3 of the bill because the data necessary for the preparation of the waiver application will take until at least June 30, 2007, to be collected.

Your Committee believes that this bill will provide the necessary funds through the neurotrauma special fund to assist individuals with neurotraumatic injuries.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2727, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2727, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

 

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair