The 2008 Legislature ends--How we fared

PASSED, Going to Governor for Signature

(*Kokua Council Top Priority issues)

*SB2150 Adult Protective Services    Expands the adult protective services law by extending protections to vulnerable adults.

  HB2520  Establishes a working group on to explore the provision of wage replacement benefits      to employees needing to take time off from work to care for a family member with a serious health condition.   Adding members to the working group from the Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers, Hawaii Family Caregiver Coalition, Kokua Council, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

*SB2830 Omnibus Caregiver Bill. EOA to develop Cash and Counseling project. Appropriates $500,000 for Kupuna Care and $289,000 for adult residential care homes. Services will help those over poverty level stay at home.

*SB3255  LTC Planning.  Establishes LTC commission to research resources necessary to meet state LTC public policy goals and recommend program/funding mechanism that can provide these services. Appropriates $100,000 for the first year.

*HB7 I-SaveRx.  Directs Governor to establish Hawaii State participation in the I-SaveRx  drug program to provide residents with increased access to affordable drugs. Vetoed. Overridden.

SB2730 Grandparents.    Establishes a grandparent preference for out-of-home placement of children needing Child Protective Services.

SB868 EOA/PABEA  Prohibits the director of the EOA from altering, editing or withholding any work product issued by policy advisory board for elder affairs because it is inconsistent with the policy of the administration. Vetoed. Overridden.

SB156 Permanent Absentee Ballots . The bill allows a registered voter to request an absentee ballot   and at the same time to request to receive an absentee ballot permanently.

HB661 Campaign Financing Establishes pilot project for comprehensive public funding of Hawaii County Council Elections for three election cycles, beginning in 2010

HB 357 Relating to Pedestrian Safety. The bill appropriates $1 million for the Department of Transportation to conduct a pilot study to identify state and county intersections where the time to cross the intersection is insufficient for elderly and disabled pedestrians.

HB 2455  RELATING TO CAMPAIGN SPENDING. Kept cap on corporate funding.


Dead

Leahi Hospital Planning    Requesting the Hawaii Health System Corp to establish a task force to assist in developing a master plan for LTC for Leahi Hospital.  Department of Aging, LTC Ombudsmen on Neighbor Islands, Prepaid Funeral Reform, Center on Aging, at UH.

Important Dates

June 23; 35th day after end of session.  The Governor must give the Legislature notice of her intent to veto any bill presented to her after April 15.

July 8, 45th day after end of session.  Any bill that was presented to the Governor after April 15 becomes law without her signature if she has neither signed it by this date not declared her intent to veto by June 23rd.