STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1498

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.C.R. No. 35

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 35 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO ANALYZE A PROPOSED MEASURE TO REGULATE HOME CARE AGENCIES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the Auditor to analyze a proposed measure calling for the regulation of home care agencies by the Department of Health.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.

 

     Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that home care is a crucial component of the health care continuum.  The need for home care is increasing along with Hawaii's aged and disabled population.  Currently, home care agencies are not regulated or licensed in the State.  Therefore, it is essential that home care case workers are adequately trained and ethically responsible to ensure the best quality care for the residents of Hawaii.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting the citation for the proposed House Bill No. 704, H.D. 1, S.D. 1 (2009), which calls for the regulation of home care agencies.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 35, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 35, S.D. 1.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair