Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2370 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect the health and safety of disabled individuals receiving general assistance payments. This bill provides emergency appropriations of $416,718 for fiscal year 2005-2006 to ensure that general assistance payments are maintained at the maximum benefit level of $418 per month per eligible recipient through June 30, 2006.

The Department of Human Services testified in support of this bill.

Without the emergency appropriation, general assistance payments during the last quarter of this fiscal year to 3,850 recipients will drop to $391 per month.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2370 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.