STAND. COM. REP. NO.  210

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 734

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business, to which was referred H.B. No. 734 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY POVERTY REDUCTION TASK FORCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to address the issue of poverty in Hawaii by establishing the Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force (Task Force) to study and evaluate issues relating to poverty, and develop a strategic, integrated, and comprehensive plan (Plan) to expand economic opportunities and reduce, by at least 50 percent by 2021, the number of Hawaii residents living in poverty.

     The Hawaii Alliance for Community Based Economic Development, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, and Hawaii Habitat for Humanity supported this bill.  The Office of Community Services of the Department of Land and Natural Resources supported the intent of this measure.

     Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Reducing the membership of the Task Force from ten to five members, and providing a process for appointing members as follows:

          (A)  Two members appointed by the Senate President from lists submitted by the Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader;

          (B)  Two members appointed by the Speaker of the House from lists submitted by the House Majority Leader and House Minority Leader; and

          (C)  One member appointed by the Governor;

     (2)  Deleting the procedure for selecting a chairperson for the Task Force and, instead, requiring the members to select a member to serve as chairperson;

     (3)  Changing the deadline for the completion of the Plan and submittal of the first report to the Legislature to before December 22, 2012, and requiring subsequent reports to the Legislature to be submitted before December 22 of each year;

     (4)  Inserting an appropriation for operational expenses of the Task Force; 

     (5)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 734, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 734, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Human Services.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair