STAND. COM. REP. NO. 730

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1099

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1099, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELIMINATING THE ASSET LIMIT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to eliminate the asset limit for participants in the Temporary Assistance For Needy Families program (TANF).

     Written comments in support of this measure were submitted by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Office of Community Services, the Department of Human Services, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, The Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, the Legal Aid Society, and two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that the verification of assets is a very difficult, time-consuming, and ineffective method to deter fraud in the TANF program.  Your Committee also finds that eliminating the asset limit requirement will not increase costs for the State, will enable the Department of Human Services to provide and service the public in a more efficient and effective manner, and will encourage families to build and increase their assets without fear of losing TANF benefits.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to further discussion on the matter.

     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. 1099, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1099, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair