STAND. COM. REP. NO.  404-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2039

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2039 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to remove barriers to public assistance by exempting the value of certain assets from being considered when determining eligibility.

     The Hawaii Primary Care Association testified in support of this bill.  The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Human Services (DHS) did not support this bill.  The Hawai'i Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development provided comments.

     Your Committee notes that several testifiers agreed that it is important to review assets currently exempted, as well as items proposed to be exempted to ensure that the families that need the most assistance are adequately served.  Additionally, it is possible that asset disregards could be implemented through Hawaii Administrative Rules rather than statute.

     Accordingly, your Committee has replaced the contents of this bill with provisions requiring DHS to submit a report to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2009 discussing current and proposed asset disregards.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2039, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2039, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Housing,

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair