Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1750, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure that the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program is appropriately implemented and program expenditures are appropriately spent.

Specifically, this bill authorizes and requires the Legislature to conduct oversight hearings relating to the appropriate implementation of programs funded by federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families moneys and the optimal expenditure of those federal moneys. The bill gives legislative oversight responsibilities to the committees having jurisdiction over fiscal matters and the committees having jurisdiction over human services in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Department of Human Services is required to make all data available to the joint legislative oversight committee upon request.

Your Committee finds that the task of properly implementing the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and optimally using the related federal funds is quite complex. Without diligent oversight, it would not be surprising for the program to be operated at less than an optimal level and for program funds to be unspent or misspent. This issue becomes increasingly important as more families find themselves in need of supportive programs and services. Examining and evaluating the use of unspent and misspent program funds now is critical. Your Committee believes that joint legislative oversight is necessary to evaluate implementation of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and the program's expenditures.

Your Committee has made several technical amendments, including clarifying that the legislative committees concerned have "joint" oversight through a single joint oversight committee.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1750, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1750, S.D. 2.