STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1445

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   S.B. No. 424

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 424, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to expand the Bridge to Hope program to enable heads of households who are receiving financial assistance and who are participating in the First-to-Work program to pursue educational activities beyond the new federal time limit.

     The University of Hawaii, Bridge to Hope, Hawaii Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii, and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Department of Human Services provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the new federal time limit for educational activities is one year, instead of two years;

     (2)  Clarifying that the Bridge to Hope program be open to heads of households with minor dependents who receive financial assistance and participate in the First-to-Work program;

     (3)  Specifying that the number of hours of the approved course of study, in addition to work activity requirements, not exceed the requirements imposed on financial assistance recipients who are not Bridge to Hope program participants;

     (4)  Adding an appropriation to cover any additional costs incurred from the expansion of the Bridge to Hope program; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     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 S.B. No. 424, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 424, S.D. 2, 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,

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Acting Chair and Vice Chair