STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3122

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.C.R. No. 42

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection and Economic Development and Technology, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 42 entitled:

 

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE AUDITOR TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO DETERMINE WAYS, OTHER THAN TAX INCENTIVES, TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE AND PAY FOR LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE AND INDIVIDUALS TO PURCHASE LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Auditor to conduct a study to determine ways, other than tax incentives, to encourage employers to provide and pay for long-term care insurance and individuals to purchase long-term care insurance.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Insurance Commissioner.

 

     Your Committees find that long-term care can easily and quickly decimate an individual's life savings.  Long-term care insurance is one way individuals can create a safety net that offers financial security, protects an individual's assets, and preserves an individual's independence.  However, many individuals do not have long-term care insurance plans.  This measure seeks ways to encourage employers to provide and pay for long-term care insurance and individuals to purchase long-term care insurance to prepare for an individual's future.

 

     Your Committees note that the Legislative Reference Bureau may be a more appropriate agency to conduct this study.  Your Committees also find that the Bureau's study and recommendations would benefit from input from businesses on ways to encourage employers to provide and pay for long-term care insurance.

 

     Your Committees have therefore amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requesting the Legislative Reference Bureau, rather than the Auditor, to conduct the study;

 

     (2)  Amending the title accordingly;

 

     (3)  Adding language that requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to seek the input of businesses on employer-supported, feasible methods to encourage employers to provide and pay for long-term care insurance; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection and Economic Development and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 42, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 42, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Commerce and Consumer Protection and Economic Development and Technology,

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

 

 

____________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair