REPORT TITLE:
General Fund Revenues


DESCRIPTION:
Requires the department of budget and finance to dedicate
specified percentages of the amounts appropriated to designated
departments each year for ten years to programs relating to
preconceptual, perinatal, early intervention, and family support
services to age 5.  (HB630 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        630
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 THE GENERAL FUND. 


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

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the most costly
 
 2 social problems have roots in childhood, particularly during the
 
 3 formative years from birth to school age.  Studies in early brain
 
 4 development reveal that the human brain is literally being wired,
 
 5 almost like a computer being programmed, during the first three
 
 6 years of life with the first year being the most critical.  The
 
 7 legislature further finds that parental nurturing is the
 
 8 ingredient that promotes healthy growth and development.  One
 
 9 study noted that by age three, a child who is abused or neglected
 
10 bears scars that are virtually impossible to erase.  Other
 
11 current studies that have looked at risk factors generally agree
 
12 that multiple risk factors usually combine to create adverse
 
13 outcomes.
 
14      The legislature further finds that Hawaii spends significant
 
15 funds dealing with "rotten outcomes" of childhood.  These costs
 
16 are building and operating correctional facilities for youths and
 
17 adults, supporting extremely emotionally disturbed children in
 
18 expensive residential treatment programs, treatment and group
 
19 homes for acting out youth, adult and children mental health
 
20 services, remedial education services, police systems, and the
 

 
Page 2                                                     630
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 like.  Social costs are incurred in disrupted classrooms and
 
 2 unsafe schools, streets, and communities, and increasing violent
 
 3 crimes against tourists.  Homelessness is associated with mental
 
 4 illness for many people in Hawaii.
 
 5      The legislature further finds that early intervention
 
 6 services with young children at risk are an obvious long-term
 
 7 solution to the problem of increasing social costs which could be
 
 8 averted if addressed strategically.  The legislature began a
 
 9 movement in this direction with the healthy start program.  In
 
10 addition, there are a range of early intervention services which
 
11 in combination could make a tremendous difference for Hawaii's
 
12 children, state budget, and social environment.
 
13      The purpose of this Act is to establish a healthy start
 
14 special fund to be used for motherhood and early childhood
 
15 programs.
 
16      SECTION 2.  Chapter 37, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
17 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
18 read as follows:
 
19      "§37-    Set aside of revenues for motherhood and early
 
20 childhood programs.  (a)  Each budget or appropriations act shall
 
21 include a line item to be named the healthy start special fund
 
22 which shall be used for programs relating to preconceptual,
 
23 perinatal, early intervention, and family support services to age
 

 
Page 3                                                     630
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 five.  
 
 2 (b)  Funding for the healthy start special fund shall be as
 
 3 follows for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, and thereafter
 
 4 until June 30, 2010:
 
 5      (1)  Five per cent of the total annual appropriation to the
 
 6           department of human services;
 
 7      (2)  Five per cent of the total annual appropriation to the
 
 8           department of health;
 
 9      (3)  Five per cent of the total annual appropriation to the
 
10           department of public safety;
 
11      (4)  Five per cent of the total annual appropriation to the
 
12           department of education.
 
13 (c) Prior to the release of any general fund appropriations to
 
14 the departments contributing under subsection (b), the department
 
15 of budget and finance shall designate and deposit into the
 
16 healthy start special fund the amounts required from each
 
17 department under subsection (b)."
 
18      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
19      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 1999 and
 
20 shall be repealed on June 30, 2010.
 
21