Report Title:

New TANF Recipients; Allow Educational Activities Beyond 2 Years

Description:

Appropriates $     for FY 2007-2008 and $     for FY2008-2009 for the bridge to hope program to accommodate new federal temporary assistance for needy families program recipient-students to enable them to pursue education activities beyond the new two-year federal limit.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1731
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to temporary assistance for needy families.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the recent changes to the federal temporary assistance for needy families program rules and subsequent first-to-work program changes, which limit educational activities to two years of study leading to vocational or technical degrees in order to meet federal work requirements, grandfathers currently participating students and allows them to finish their education.  For example, first-to-work participating students who are pursuing a baccalaureate degree are transferred to the state-funded bridge-to-hope program to continue their studies.  However, new federal temporary assistance for needy families program first-to-work participating students are restricted to the new two-year education activity option to receive vocational or technical degrees.  In other words, these students may not continue to pursue a four-year baccalaureate degree and favorite areas of study such as pre-nursing will no longer be available to them without violating federal work rules.

     The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the bridge-to-hope program to enable new federal temporary assistance for needy families program first-to-work students to continue their educational activities beyond the two-year federal limit by transferring them to the state-funded bridge-to-hope program.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $      , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009, for the bridge-to-hope program to accommodate new federal temporary assistance for needy families program first-to-work students to enable them to pursue educational activities beyond the new two-year federal limit.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval, except that section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

INTRODUCED BY:

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