REPORT TITLE:
Welfare Reform

DESCRIPTION:
Increases the standard of need for families of given sizes to an
unspecified percentage of the 2000 federal poverty level.
Increases the standard of assistance for exempt households,
household in which all caretaker relatives are minors, living
independently with minor dependents, and attending school, and
for all other households. Provides an annual cost of living
increase for assistance allowance. (SB2059 HD2)

2059
THE SENATE S.B. NO. S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000 H.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO WELFARE REFORM.

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

1 SECTION 1. Section 346-53, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is

2 amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

3 "(a) This subsection does not apply to general assistance

4 to households without minor dependents. The standard of need for

5 families of given sizes shall equal the poverty level established

6 by the federal government in [1993,] 2000, prorated over a

7 twelve-month period.

8 9 percentage of the standard of need. For exempt households and

10 households in which all caretaker relatives are minors, living

11 independently with minor dependents and attending school, the

12 assistance allowance shall be set at sixty-two and one-half per

13 cent of the standard of need. For all other households, the

14 assistance allowance shall be set no higher than sixty-two and

15 one-half per cent of the standard of need and set no lower than

16 fifty per cent of the standard of need. The standard of need

17 shall be determined by dividing the 1993 federal poverty level by

18 twelve and rounding down the quotient. The remaining quotient

19 shall be multiplied by the per cent as set by the director by

Page 2 2059
S.B. NO. S.D. 1
H.D. 2

1 rules pursuant to chapter 91 and the final product shall be

2 rounded down to determine the assistance allowance; provided

3 that:

4 (1) The department may reduce the assistance allowance as

5 determined in this subsection for non-exempt households

6 for the purpose of providing work incentives or

7 services under part XI of this chapter;

8 (2) No reduction shall be allowed that jeopardizes

9 eligibility for or receipt of federal funds;

10 (3) Reductions in the assistance allowance shall be limited

11 to no more than one per year; and

12 (4) No non-exempt household, which includes an adult who

13 has received sixty cumulative months of temporary

14 assistance to needy families with minor dependents,

15 shall be eligible for an assistance allowance, unless

16 authorized by federal regulations.]:

17 (1) Effective July 1, 2000, shall be based on a percentage

18 of the standard of need as provided:

19 (A) per cent of the standard of need for

20 exempt households and households in which all

21 caretaker relatives are minors, living

22 independently with minor dependents, and attending

23 school; and

Page 3 2059
S.B. NO. S.D. 1
H.D. 2

1 (B) Not more than per cent of the standard

2 of need and not less than per cent of

3 the standard of need for all other households;

4 (2) Effective July, 2001, shall be increased annually in

5 July:

6 (A) Based on the corresponding annual cost-of-living

7 adjustment provided by the Bureau of Labor

8 Statistics for exempt households and households in

9 which all caretaker relatives are minors, living

10 independently with minor dependents, and attending

11 school; and

12 (B) To an amount no greater than the amount described

13 in paragraph (2)(A) and no lower than

14 per cent less than the amount described in

15 paragraph (2)(A) for all other households;

16 (3) May be reduced by the department for non-exempt

17 households for the purpose of providing work incentives

18 or services under part XI of this chapter;

19 (4) Shall not be reduced if reduction would jeopardize

20 eligibility for a receipt of federal funds;

21 (5) Shall be reduced no more than once per year; and

22 (6) Shall not be provided to non-exempt households, which

23 includes an adult who has received sixty cumulative

Page 4 2059
S.B. NO. S.D. 1
H.D. 2

1 months of temporary assistance to needy families with

2 minor dependents, unless authorized by federal

3 regulations.

4 The standard of need shall be determined by dividing the

5 2000 federal poverty level by twelve and rounding down the

6 quotient. The remaining quotient shall be multiplied by the per

7 cent as set by the director by rules pursuant to chapter 91 and

8 the final product shall be rounded down."

9 SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.

10 New statutory material is underscored.

11 SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.