STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1366-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: S.B. No. 2059
                                     S.D. 1
                                     H.D. 2




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

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No.
2059, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WELFARE REFORM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to establish a more current
standard to calculate the amount of general assistance a family
with minor dependents receives by:

     (1)  Increasing the standard of need for families of given
          sizes to equal the federal poverty level established by
          the federal government in 2000;

     (2)  Increasing the assistance allowance to:

          (a)  55 percent of the standard of need for exempt
               households, households in which all caretaker
               relatives are minors, living independently with
               minor dependents, and attending school; and

          (b)  Not more than 55 percent of the standard of need
               and not less than 43 percent of the standard of
               need for all other households;

          and

     (3)  Providing an annual cost of living increase for
          assistance allowance.


 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1366-00
                                 Page 2

 
     The Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women, the
National Association of Social Workers, the Welfare and
Employment Rights Coalition, Na Loio, the Welfare & Employment
Rights Coalition, Hawaii Women Lawyers, the Hawaii Area Program
Office of the American Friends Service Committee, and an
individual testified in support of this measure.  The Department
of Human Services supported the intent of the bill.  Kokua
Council submitted comments on the measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Deleting the percentage amounts in which the standards
          of need are based; and

     (2)  Deleting the percentage amount for the annual cost of
          living increase.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No.
2059, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it
pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2059,
S.D. 1, H.D. 2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair