STAND. COM. REP. NO. 415

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1668

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1668 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ease the eligibility requirements for benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two members of the Kauai County Council, fourteen private organizations, and ten individuals.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by the Department of Human Services.  Comments were submitted by Legal Aid Society of Hawai‘i.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee has heard both strong support for this measure and a number of concerns about the provisions of this measure.  Your Committee understands that the interested stakeholders have met to discuss alternatives, and have come to some agreement regarding amended language, which your Committee has incorporated as outlined below.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and replacing the contents with language to:

     (1)  Amend section 346-52, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to clarify the eligibility requirements for public assistance for aged, blind, disabled, and temporarily incapacitated persons;

     (2)  Amend section 346-53, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to delete references to general assistance to households without minor dependents;

     (3)  Amend section 346-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to clarify that applications for assistance apply to assistance for aged, blind, disabled, and temporarily incapacitated households;

     (4)  Repeal section 346-71, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to general assistance;

     (5)  Authorize the Director of Human Services, with the approval of the Governor, to expend funds for public assistance through the transfer of moneys from other programs under the purview of the Director of Human Services; and

     (6)  Amend the effective date to July 1, 2050, for the purpose of encouraging further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1668, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1668, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair