STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2662

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2846

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2846, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ESTABLISHING A SECOND DEPUTY DIRECTOR POSITION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to restore within the Department of Human Services a second Deputy Director position to be in charge of welfare or other functions within the Department as assigned by the Director of Human Services.

     The Department of Human Services submitted written comments in support of the measure.

     Your Committee finds that the Department of Human Services serves vulnerable and needy adults and children statewide and is responsible for diverse and complex programs.  The Department also manages significant federal and state funds and processes a vast amount of information.  Your Committee notes that the Department currently has only one Deputy Director because economic difficulties prompted the Legislature in 1994 to eliminate the second Deputy Director position.  Your Committee believes that by restoring a second Deputy Director position, this measure will enable the Department to more effectively manage its various programs.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

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

     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. 2846, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2846, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair