Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 948, H.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to enable working families in federal low-income housing to retain a greater percentage of its income to help make ends meet.

This bill requires the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii (HCDCH) to deduct 25 percent of a family's earned income that would otherwise be counted when calculating its rent for housing accommodations.

Island Tenants on the Rise and two individuals testified in support of this bill. HCDCH opposed this measure. Your Committee also received petitions supporting this bill signed by 42 individuals.

While supportive of working families struggling to meet the expenses of rent, your Committee is also cognizant of the costs associated with an indefinite income disregard. Your Committee finds that this issue merits continued discussion and has amended this bill by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2010; and

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 H.B. No. 948, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 948, H.D. 3.