HB 2417 Summary

• Establishes a neighbor islands blind and visually impaired service pilot program through the Department of Human Services to provide services and training to blind and visually impaired residents on neighbor islands (counties with populations under 500,000).

• Pilot program provides peer-to-peer outreach, sight loss adjustment counseling, mobility training, communications development, daily living skills, and special needs transportation assistance through qualified volunteers trained in structured discovery methods.

• Department shall contract with a nonprofit organization led by a majority of blind or visually impaired officers and directors to manage daily operations, with membership chapters on neighbor islands.

• Department must submit a report to the legislature no later than 20 days before the 2021 regular session with findings, accomplishments, recommendations on program extension, and proposed legislation.

• Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds for fiscal year 2020-2021, contingent on identifying matching federal and other funds; funds shall not supplant existing services for blind or visually impaired persons.