STAND. COM. REP. NO.  786

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 1064

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1064 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET SHORTFALL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Hawaii by making an emergency appropriation of $60,000,000 from the Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund to replace general funds appropriated for the health care payments program of the Department of Human Services (DHS) to address the budget shortfall in fiscal year 2008-2009.

The Department of Budget and Finance testified in support of this bill.  The National Association of Social Workers, Hawaii Chapter, testified in opposition to this measure.  DHS submitted comments.

     Pursuant to the requirements set forth in Article VII, Section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the Governor, in her Governor's Message No. 227 to the Legislature, requested immediate consideration and passage of this bill by the Legislature citing an existing critical funding shortage.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1064, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1064, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair