STAND. COM. REP. NO.  179

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 768

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 768, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to provide additional avenues to transition public assistance recipients into the workforce by authorizing the Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish the Supporting Employment Empowerment Hawaii Work Program.

     A concerned individual supported this bill.  DHS opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing the requirement that DHS reimburse employers in an amount equal to the current minimum wage plus 50 cents for each additional full dollar per hour paid over the minimum wage for up to forty hours per week;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, 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 Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 768, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 768, H.D. 2, and be referred to the Committee on Economic Revitalization & Business.

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

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair