STAND. COM. REP. NO.  876-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2685

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2685, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to permit needy families to acquire the assets necessary to escape poverty by increasing the asset limit for public assistance for households with minor dependents from $5,000 to $10,000.  This measure also requires the Department of Human Services to conduct a study on asset limits and their applicability to various public assistance programs.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development, United Self Help, and two concerned individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the requirement that the Department of Human Services conduct a study on asset limits;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, 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. 2685, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2685, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair