STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1102-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.C.R. No. 173
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred H.C.R. No. 173 entitled: 

     "HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
     HUMAN SERVICES TO DEVELOP A "SAFETY NET" PROGRAM TO ASSIST
     PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS WHO WILL BE EXHAUSTING THEIR
     LIFETIME LIMIT FOR FEDERAL WELFARE ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to request the
Department of Human Services (DHS) to develop a "safety net"
program to address the needs of public assistance recipients who
will be exhausting their five-year lifetime eligibility for
federal welfare benefits, but who will still be unable to provide
for their own basic needs or those of their families.

     The National Association of Social Workers, the Hawaii
Catholic Conference, and the Welfare & Employment Rights
Coalition testified in support of this concurrent resolution.
The DHS testified in support of the intent of this concurrent
resolution.

     Your Committee has amended this concurrent resolution by:

     (1)  Requesting that the DHS involve other state
          departments, current federal welfare recipients, local
          businesses, and nonprofit organizations in the
          development of the safety net program report;

     (2)  Clarifying that the safety net program report should
          examine:

          (A)  The expected future impact of the five-year
               welfare benefit limit on affected families and
               individuals in Hawaii;

          (B)  Approaches that have been taken in  establishing
               "safety net" programs in other states; and

          (C)  Studies that have been undertaken in other states
               regarding alternative strategies for a successful
               "safety net" program.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this
report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of
H.C.R. No. 173, as amended herein, and recommends that it be
referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto
as H.C.R. No. 173, H.D. 1.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Human Services
                                   and Housing,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair