Report Title:

Bridge to Hope; Educational Activities

Description:

Appropriates funds for the bridge to hope program to enable heads of households receiving financial assistance and participating in the first-to-work programs to pursue educational activities beyond the new two‑year federal limit.  (SD1)

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	424
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to Human Services.

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 for the bridge to hope program to enable heads of households receiving financial assistance and participating in the first-to-work programs to pursue educational activities beyond the new two-year federal limit by transferring them to the state-funded bridge to hope program.

     SECTION 2.  Section 346-68, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  There is created within the department a post-secondary education benefits program, to be known as the bridge to hope program, for heads of households receiving financial assistance and participating in the [temporary assistance to needy families program.] first‑to‑work programs.

     (b)  To receive assistance under this program, the [single] parent shall:

     (1)  Be enrolled as a student each term[;] in an approved course of study; provided that the approved course of study shall not be limited to vocational education;

     (2)  Maintain passing grades or better throughout the course of study; and

     (3)  Meet work activity requirements as defined by the department."

     SECTION 3.  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 enable heads of households receiving financial assistance and participating in the first-to-work programs to pursue educational activities beyond the new two-year federal limit by transferring them to the state-funded bridge to hope program.

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

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval, except that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2007.