STAND. COM. REP. NO.  523

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   H.B. No. 1375

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1375 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to revise the welfare payment system to facilitate and encourage the transition of welfare recipients from public assistance to employment by requiring:

(1)  The Department of Human Services to:

(A)  Establish a task force to review and restructure the welfare payment structure to incentivize qualifying welfare recipients to advance in their careers while retaining their beneficiary status; and

(B)  Re-establish the Exit and Retention Bonus Program; and

(2)  The task force to submit a report to the Legislature prior to the 2015 Regular Session on its recommendations, including recommendations for an implementation plan or legislation.

The Department of Human Services supported the intent of this measure.

     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. 1375 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MELE CARROLL, Chair