The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted to pass HCR 146 (HD1) with amendments that request the Department of Human Services to apply for and implement the Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) when the agency’s eligibility system can support it.

Witnesses including the Hawaii Public Health Institute and Catholic Charities of Hawaii testified in support, saying ESAP could simplify benefit access for seniors and people with disabilities. DHS staff described operational and technology constraints that limit immediate implementation.

Shumer Shige, administrator for the Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division at DHS, told the committee the department could implement ESAP but would have to extend certifications manually under the current nearly-40-year-old eligibility system. “Our worry is because we are in corrective action for timeliness and also for payment error. Having to do the manual work could further exacerbate our issues with timeliness and also the accuracy of payment for the workers,” Shige said. DHS is developing a new BES system slated for statewide implementation in October 2026, and staff said they plan to request ESAP implementation once the system can support it.

Committee members asked whether DHS could start the ESAP application process before the new system is ready; DHS said the agency typically starts the waiver and application when ready to implement but agreed to the amended language that adds "when able" to the title and the resolved clause.

The chair recommended passage with amendments to add the phrase “when able” and to adjust the resolved paragraph; the committee adopted the recommendation.