Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 170 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Human Services to post Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) budget information on its website for public review.

The Department of Human Services, National Association of Social Workers-Hawaii Chapter, and an individual submitted testimony in support of this measure.

Your Committee finds that TANF budget information is not currently available on the Department of Human Services website, and openness and accountability in government are foremost priorities of the Legislature. To ensure that the public has access to information regarding how TANF funds are used and allocated, this measure requests the department to include comprehensive budget information on its website, including a breakdown of expenditures for each division and program ID, as well as the expenditures for each contract, including the names of the contractors.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 170 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.