Report Title:

International Affairs; Territories and Commonwealths

Description:

Corrects references in the HRS, to "trust territories" as this term is no longer in use; adds the full names of the three sovereign states under the Compact of Free Association.  (SD1)

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	521
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.

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

     Section 1.  The purpose of this measure is to correct references in the Hawaii Revised Statutes, to:

     (1)  "Trust territories" as this term is no longer in use; and

     (2)  Add the full names of the three sovereign states under the Compact of Free Association.

     SECTION 2.  Section 346-59.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§346-59.4  Medical assistance to other children.  The department shall provide state-funded medical assistance free of charge to persons less than nineteen years of age whose family income is at or below three hundred per cent of the federal poverty level for Hawaii and who are:

     (1)  Legal permanent residents who arrived after August 22, 1996;

     (2)  Persons who are permanently residing under color of law; and

     (3)  Nonimmigrants from the [Trust Territories of the] Pacific Islands who are citizens of:

         (A)  The Republic of the Marshall Islands;

         (B)  The Federated States of Micronesia; or

         (C)  The Republic of Palau, as defined by the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985, P.L. 99-239, or the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Government of Palau, P.L. 99-658,

who are otherwise eligible for benefits under the State's medicaid programs, including QUEST and the State's children health insurance program, but are ineligible due to restricted eligibility rules imposed by Title XXI of the Social Security Act, the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996, the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985, P.L. 99-239, the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Government of Palau, P.L. 99-658, or any other provision of federal law denying medical assistance to nonimmigrants who are citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau."

     SECTION 3.  Section 348-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

     "(c)  The department may also promulgate regulations with regard to the use of professional personnel of the department in cooperation with the federal government for the purpose of surveying needs and implementing rehabilitation services in any of the federal government's political subdivisions [or trust], territories, or commonwealths when such actions or services involve no cost to the State."

     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.