CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 33

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2009

RE:    H.B. No. 1776

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1776, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this bill is to help prevent inmates from receiving public assistance to which they are not entitled by requiring:

     (1)  The Department of Public Safety (PSD) to provide the Department of Human Services (DHS) with reports listing newly admitted inmates;

     (2)  DHS to identify the status of each inmate on the lists with respect to the inmate's current receipt of public assistance;

     (3)  The continuation of public assistance for the duration of the inmate's incarceration for inmates who are sentenced to incarceration in a public institution for not more than 30 days; and

     (4)  That public assistance be terminated for inmates who are sentenced to incarceration in a public institution for more than 30 days.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this bill by:

(1)  Providing that DHS will identify the status of each inmate on the monthly lists as well as the initial list provided by PSD to determine the inmate's current receipt of public assistance;

(2)  Deleting provisions requiring:

(A)  The continuation of public assistance for the duration of the inmate's incarceration for inmates who are sentenced to incarceration in a public institution for not more than 30 days; and

(B)  That public assistance be terminated for inmates who are sentenced to incarceration in a public institution for more than 30 days;

(3)  Changing the effective date to upon its approval; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1776, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1776, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

______________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair	____________________________ FAYE HANOHANO, Co-Chair
______________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair	____________________________ JOHN M. MIZUNO, Co-Chair
______________________________ SHAN S. TSUTSUI, Co-Chair	____________________________ HENRY J. C. AQUINO, Co-Chair