REPORT TITLE:
Welfare to Work


DESCRIPTION:
Establishes a transitional welfare-to-work benefits program for
public assistance recipients experiencing substantial hardships.
(HB629 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        629
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO WELFARE-TO-WORK TRANSITION ASSISTANCE.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The federal Personal Responsibility and Work
 
 2 Opportunity Act of 1996 abolished the sixty-one-year-old Aid to
 
 3 Families with Dependent Children entitlement program and replaced
 
 4 it with a transitional aid program called the Temporary
 
 5 Assistance for Needy Families program that requires recipients
 
 6 who are able to work to secure employment at the earliest
 
 7 opportunity.  The new law places a heavy burden on the states to
 
 8 meet strict work participation requirements.
 
 9      The federal requirements have set a laudable goal.  Work is
 
10 the cornerstone of the community's shared values of personal
 
11 responsibility and self-sufficiency.  In addition, work promotes
 
12 self-discipline and self-esteem, and may be the best hope for
 
13 reducing poverty and dependence and thereby safeguard the future
 
14 of Hawaii's disadvantaged children.
 
15      The vast majority of public assistance recipients share the
 
16 community values of parental responsibility and work ethic, and
 
17 will accept financial responsibility for themselves and their
 
18 children when given a real opportunity to achieve self-
 
19 sufficiency.  Many barriers to work, however, frustrate the best
 

 
Page 2                                                     629
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 efforts of public assistance recipients to join the work force on
 
 2 a permanent basis.  Moreover, sharp competition for scarce jobs
 
 3 often leaves those with little experience or education behind.
 
 4      In addition, single-parent families face demands on their
 
 5 family resources for child care, education, and housing,
 
 6 especially if child support is not provided.  Studies show that a
 
 7 greater percentage of a single parent's financial resources is
 
 8 used for child care while the parent is working or the child or
 
 9 children are forced to stay at home unsupervised.
 
10      The legislature finds that transitional benefits are needed
 
11 to provide the necessary support to allow recipients to pursue
 
12 education and training beyond high school to assure successful
 
13 and long-term employment for recipients, and to enable them to
 
14 adequately meet the needs and care of their children.
 
15      The purpose of this Act is to support the successful
 
16 transition from public assistance to self-sufficiency through a
 
17 transitional benefits program for public assistance recipients
 
18 experiencing substantial hardships to attend school.
 
19      It is the intent of this Act to establish policies that
 
20 encourage pursuit of higher education, enhance work readiness,
 
21 and a stable future for single parents and their children.
 

 
 
 
 
 
Page 3                                                     629
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      SECTION 2.  Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 2 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 3 read as follows:
 
 4      "§346-    Bridge to hope program; transitional benefits.
 
 5 (a)  There is created within the department a welfare-to-work
 
 6 transitional benefits program, to be known as the "bridge to
 
 7 hope" program, for recipients of public assistance who are single
 
 8 parents of young children and are having substantial hardships.
 
 9      (b)  The department may provide assistance to recipients of
 
10 public assistance, who are single parents with a child or
 
11 children under age fourteen, beyond any time limits for the
 
12 receipt of public assistance established by the temporary
 
13 assistance to other needy families program.  To receive
 
14 assistance under this program, the single parent shall:
 
15      (1)  Be deemed by the department as having substantial
 
16           hardships;
 
17      (2)  Be working or a student in a college, university,
 
18           vocational school, or other educational institution;
 
19      (3)  Be enrolled in a course of study approved by the
 
20           department at an accredited post-secondary academic or
 
21           vocational school or other instruction;
 

 
 
 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (4)  Be enrolled in a minimum of       credit hours each
 
 2           semester while enrolled; provided that the number of
 
 3           credit hours shall be calculated in the same manner
 
 4           followed by the University of Hawaii system campuses;
 
 5           and
 
 6      (5)  Have an income below the federal poverty level for the
 
 7           appropriate household size applicable in the state.
 
 8      (c)  Any eligible participant who receives an exemption
 
 9 under this section shall be eligible for or shall continue to
 
10 receive child care, transportation assistance, and all other
 
11 support services as may be necessary to allow the participant to
 
12 attend post-secondary school; provided that the participant shall
 
13 submit satisfactory evidence to the department that the
 
14 participant:
 
15      (1)  Is currently enrolled in an approved course of study
 
16           and taking the number of credit hours required under
 
17           subsection (b);
 
18      (2)  Has maintained passing grades or better throughout the
 
19           course of study; and
 
20      (3)  Completes the course of study by the end of two years
 
21           beyond the recipient's time limit.
 

 
 
 
 
 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (d)  The participant shall submit a copy of a diploma,
 
 2 certificate, or other satisfactory proof of completion of the
 
 3 educational or vocational program upon the participant's
 
 4 graduation from the program.  The exemption provided by this
 
 5 section shall not exceed       semesters at any one or more
 
 6 schools or other institutions in the state in any five-year
 
 7 period.
 
 8      (e)  Assistance to be provided under this section shall
 
 9 include:
 
10      (1)  Child care;
 
11      (2)  Referrals to housing subsidies;
 
12      (3)  Health coverage; and
 
13      (4)  Educational subsidies.
 
14      (f)  The number of credits carried by the recipient shall
 
15 count towards work requirements under the temporary assistance to
 
16 other needy families program.
 
17      (g)  The bridge to home program pursuant to this section
 
18 shall be exempt from the temporary assistance to other needy
 
19 families maintenance of effort.
 
20      (h)  The housing and community development corporation of
 
21 Hawaii shall work with the department to:
 

 
 
 
 
 
Page 6                                                     629
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (1)  Carry out the housing functions as provided in
 
 2           subsection 346-  (e)(2); and
 
 3      (2)  Assist program participants attain or retain housing.
 
 4      (i)  For purposes of this section, "substantial hardships"
 
 5 means a situation where an individual is incapable of
 
 6 simultaneously meeting public assistance requirements,
 
 7 educational commitments, and parenting responsibilities to remain
 
 8 or become self-sufficient.
 
 9      (j)  The department shall adopt rules in accordance with
 
10 chapter 91 to carry out the purposes of this section."
 
11      SECTION 3.  The department of human services shall ensure
 
12 that its activities taken under this section shall be consistent
 
13 with the principles and goals of promoting self-sufficiency,
 
14 earning an educational degree, eliminating poverty, and
 
15 safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of Hawaii's poor
 
16 children.  The department shall provide a yearly evaluation which
 
17 utilizes graduation rates and employability as benchmarks to
 
18 determine success.  
 
19      SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general
 
20 revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $    or so much
 
21 thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 1999-2000 or the sum
 
22 of $   or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
 
23 2000-2001 for the bridge to hope program.
 

 
Page 7                                                     629
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of
 
 2 human services for the purposes of this Act.
 
 3      SECTION 5.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
 4      SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.