SSCR789

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 789

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 935

S.D. 2

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 935, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EMERGENCY AND BUDGET RESERVE FUND,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to maintain adequate funding levels of programs for public health, safety, welfare, and education by appropriating funds from the emergency and budget reserve fund.

Your Committee received comments in support of this measure from Rodney A. Maile, Administrative Director, The Judiciary of the State of Hawaii; Waynette K.Y. Cabral, Executive Administrator, State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Samuel E.H. Moku, Director, Department of Community Services, City and County of Honolulu; Robert Peters, Chair, Early Learning Council; Richard P. Bettini, President and Chief Executive Officer, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center; Ivalee Sinclair, Chair, Special Education Advisory Council; Louis Esteschik, Hawaii Disability Rights Center; Stella Wong, Vice President of Programs, Catholic Charities Hawaii; Nalani Fujimori Kaina, Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Hawaii; Lehua Ka'auwai-Krueger, General Manager, About Face Family of Programs; Katherine E. Murphy, Executive Director, Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children; Sandra J. Yoro, Executive Director, Special Education Center of Hawaii; Elisabeth Chun, Executive Director, Good Beginnings Alliance; Beth Giesting, Chief Executive Officer, Hawaii Primary Care Association; Dee Jay Mailer, Chief Executive Officer, Kamehameha Schools; Anastasia Keller-Collins, Vice President of Program Development, Easter Seals Hawaii; Jan E. Dill, President, Partners in Development Foundation; Rebecca Sanada-McGuire, President, Hawaii Baptist Early Education Association; Paul Goresbeck, Executive Director, Life Foundation; Jaque Kelley-Uyeoka, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Hale Kipa; Liane K. Akana, Executive Director, Read to Me International; and five individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from Patricia McManaman, Interim Director, Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that the current difficult economic times and declining tax revenues have resulted in budget cuts that affect all state services. As a result, the social safety net for basic human services, health, and education is in jeopardy and families that live closest to the poverty line will suffer greater than more affluent families. Your Committee further finds that it is critical that the State make appropriations to provide adequate funding for services and programs that address the vital needs of Hawaii's most vulnerable citizens.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing all appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(2) Adding appropriations for the following entities and programs:

(A) Life Foundation, for HIV/AIDS related services;

(B) Gregory House Programs, for HIV/AIDS related services;

(D) Baby S.A.F.E., for the substance abuse free environment program;

(E) Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders;

(F) Family planning;

(G) Perinatal health programs;

(H) Preschool developmental screening program;

(I) Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool program;

(J) Oahu About Face Family of Programs;

(K) Read To Me International Foundation, for reading programs for children of incarcerated parents; and

(L) Hawaii Primary Care Association, for health care services for uninsured persons;

(2) Deleting appropriations for Kapahulu Center and Moilili Community Center;

(3) Correcting a reference to reflect the appropriate section of the Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(4) Correcting the names of various entities to reflect their legal names;

(5) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 935, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 935, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair