STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3453

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.R. No. 98
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.R.
No. 98, S.D. 1, entitled: 

     "SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN
     SERVICES TO CONVENE A PUBLIC-PRIVATE INTERAGENCY WORKING
     GROUP TO HELP LOW-INCOME FAMILIES BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this resolution is to request the Department
of Human Services to convene a public-private interagency working
group to assist low-income families to become self-sufficient.

     Your Committee finds that Congress replaced the Aid to
Families with Dependent Children entitlement program, with the
Personal and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.  The
Act set a five-year lifetime limit on cash assistance to
recipients of state temporary assistance programs.  The first
group of welfare recipients that began receiving benefits under
the Act in 1996 will reach their five-year limit on December 1,
2001.

     Your Committee is concerned that an estimated 3,000
families, including thousands of children will be affected by the
termination of assistance.  Therefore, in preparation for that
transition, your Committee is requesting the Department of Human
Services to convene a public-private interagency working group to

 
a                                                     SR98 SD1
 
 
 
                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3453
                                   Page 2


assist these families.  The working group is requested to discuss
such topics as:

     (1)  Overcoming barriers to work;

     (2)  Increasing job retention through key support;

     (3)  Securing education, training, or work experience for
          higher paying jobs;

     (4)  Reducing poverty among families and children;

     (5)  Worker stipend programs;

     (6)  State earned income tax credits; and

     (7)  Job retention and advancement services.

     The working group is also requested to develop a model to
help welfare recipients find jobs and to report its finding and
recommendations back to the Legislature twenty days before the
Regular Session of 2001.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your
Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 98,
S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

                                 Respectfully submitted on behalf
                                 of the members of the Committee
                                 on Ways and Means,



                                 ________________________________
                                 CAROL FUKUNAGA, Co-Chair



                                 ________________________________
                                 ANDREW LEVIN, Co-Chair

 
a                                                     SR98 SD1